Loyola experiences more OT frustration

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Updated: March 25, 2012 8:21AM

Loyola junior Ben Averkamp had the best and worst moments a player can have in one game. His tip-in at the buzzer Thursday against Green Bay sent the game to overtime, but the Phoenix won in the last second of the extra period.

“It was definitely a tale of two different moments,’’ he said after Green Bay beat Loyola 73-70, just two days after the Ramblers (7-21, 1-16 Horizon League) fell to conference champion Valparaiso in overtime. “Obviously, you put yourself in position to win both times, and when you don’t, it’s tough.’’

Averkamp led all scorers with 26, and his 10 rebounds gave him his fourth double-double of the season. But Green Bay sophomore Kam Cerroni, the top three-point shooter in the league, had the final moment of drama, hitting a three-pointer with less than one second left for the victory.

“Two teams put it all on the line physically, and both teams had guys stepping up and making big shots,’’ Green Bay coach Brian Wardle said. “Obviously, we’re ­happy to be on the winning end.

“No team in the league will want to play Loyola [in the tournament starting Tuesday]. Ben’s playing at a high level, and he gave us fits.’’

Averkamp’s tip-in of sophomore Denzel Brito’s layup attempt gave the Ramblers new life in a seesaw game that had 18 lead changes.

“I feel so bad for the guys,’’ Loyola coach Porter Moser said. “I’ve asked them to do so much, and they haven’t quit. We lose at Valpo, come home, they go to class and we have one day of prep. We’ll ask them to do the same thing [for Saturday’s season finale at home against Milwaukee.]

“It was a game of teams making plays, and Green Bay made two great ones at the end. We made a lot of plays down the stretch, but they made the last one. They’re one of the hottest teams in the league. They have a lot of offensive weapons, and they’re playing with confidence.’’

The Phoenix roster includes five Chicago-area players and Wardle, a Willowbrook native, all poised for their homecoming weekend against Loyola and Saturday against UIC.

Freshman guard Keifer Sykes, a Marshall product who is a favorite to be named the league’s newcomer of the year, had 13 points and eight assists.

Brennan Cougill led the Phoenix (14-14, 9-8) with 19 points and added nine rebounds, and 7-1 sophomore Alec Brown had 18 points and 12 rebounds.