With 14 points each, Bonzie Colson and Matt Ryan led the Irish to an 81-61 victory over Loyola Chicago, improving Notre Dame's record to 7-2 on the season. After some ugly basketball in Orlando and for the first twenty minutes in Champaign, Notre Dame has now strung together five really nice halves against Illinois, Stony Brook and Loyola Chicago and has been rewarded with three wins for the effort.
The Ramblers got the game within two points in the early moments of the second half, but the Irish switched to a 2-3 zone mixed with some backcourt pressure that befuddled their guests, ripping off a 19-3 run to put the game away.