With a bounce-back win, the Loyola men’s basketball ended a couple of streaks on Valentine’s Day: their own two-game skid and a nearly two-year drought of defeating a nationally ranked opponent.

The Wolfpack defeated 25th ranked University of Mobile, 67-59, in the team’s first win over a nationally ranked opponent since the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference tournament over Mobile.

Psychology senior Luke Zumo’s game-high 24 points led Loyola, with a helping hand from general business sophomore Sean Bennett, who scored 19 points.

Bennett made a 3-point shot in the beginning of the first half to take the lead, 8-6. Mobile tied the game with a 2-point shot made by Mobile player, Travious Sims. Zumo showed some range, hitting a 3-pointer to make it 25-19. Mobile rallied, and three minutes left in the half Mobile tied to make it 27-27. Bennett responded, sneaking in a buzzer-beating 3-pointer with seconds left to widen the lead, 33-29.

At the beginning of the second half, Bennett continued to pile on the points, helping the team retake a 37-36 lead. Finance senior Mario Faranda put in some team effort, adding 14 points on an efficient 6 for 8 shooting night and loading the lanes while grabbing six rebounds. Loyola took a strong lead, 51-42.

Mobile crawled back to make it 57-55, but after a few Loyola buckets and a Mobile timeout, the game ended with Bennett making the final shot, 67-59 Loyola.

“We take one game at a time. Our defense effort was strong. We kept the pressure off Mobile,” head coach Dr. Michael Giorlando said.

“We needed a win this week,” Zumo said.

“We really focused on Mobile’s personnel.”

Jess Burrola can be contacted at [email protected].