YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (AP) — D.J. Cole banked in a driving bucket with 2.5 seconds left to lift Youngstown State to a 62-60 win over Loyola of Chicago in the first round of the Horizon League tournament Tuesday night.
The teams’ regular-season meetings also were decided in the final seconds, with the Penguins winning 68-66 on Jan. 5 and 60-59 on Feb. 7.
This time, Youngstown State (17-14) led by eight with 6:01 left but couldn’t maintain its advantage. After Loyola’s Devon Turk tied it with two free throws with 13 seconds left, Cole hit his game-winner. Joe Crisman’s desperation heave from beyond half court was wide.
The sixth-seeded Penguins will play No. 3 Wright State on Friday.
Blake Allen and Kamren Belin scored 15 apiece for Youngstown State, Cole added 13 and Damian Eargle had 10 points and a Horizon League tournament-record seven blocks.
Christian Thomas’ 16 points led the seventh-seeded Ramblers (15-16).
