BALTIMORE (Interstat) — In a game defined by runs and resilience, Mount Saint Mary’s withstood a second-half surge from Loyola Maryland and a career-high scoring performance from Jordan Stiemke to secure an 81-73 victory in non-conference men’s basketball Saturday night at Reitz Arena.

The Mountaineers, who improved to 3-8, never trailed but saw a 12-point first-half lead evaporate after halftime before regrouping to close the game on a decisive 13-5 run over the final four minutes.

The most critical sequence came with the game tied at 66 and just over four minutes remaining. After a defensive stop, Mount Saint Mary’s worked the ball to Anthony Arrington, who drove the lane for a tough layup to put the Mountaineers ahead for good with 4:33 on the clock. On the ensuing possession, Loyola’s Jordan Stiemke committed a turnover, which Arrington stole. The Mountaineers capitalized as Arlandus Keyes found Trey Deveaux for a layup, drawing a foul. Deveaux missed the free throw, but the four-point swing established a cushion the Greyhounds could not overcome.

Mount Saint Mary’s showcased a balanced offensive attack, led by Xavier Lipscomb’s 16 points. Arlandus Keyes also scored 16 while adding five assists, and Trey Deveaux contributed 15 points off the bench. Justin Amadi added 12 points and was a force on the glass with multiple offensive rebounds.

Loyola Maryland, which fell to 4-8, was carried by a spectacular outing from Jordan Stiemke. The 6-foot-5 guard from Bel Air, Maryland, poured in a game-high 22 points on 8-of-15 shooting, including four three-pointers. Jacob Theodosiou facilitated the offense with 15 points and seven assists, while Braeden Speed added 10 points.

The game turned on efficiency. Mount Saint Mary’s shot 51.9% from the field (28 of 54) and committed 17 turnovers, but offset those miscues by holding Loyola to just 36.9% shooting (24 of 65). The Greyhounds relied heavily on the three-pointer, attempting 39 and making 13, but could not find consistent scoring inside. Mount Saint Mary’s also won at the free-throw line, making 17 of 24 attempts compared to Loyola’s 12 of 17.

The first half set the tone for a back-and-forth contest. The Mountaineers opened with an immediate three-pointer from Keyes and built an early 23-12 advantage behind active defense and transition opportunities. Loyola responded with a 14-2 run, fueled by two three-pointers from Stiemke and another from Theodosiou, to take a brief 26-25 lead. Mount Saint Mary’s closed the half strong, however, taking a 38-37 lead into the break after a late three-pointer from Theodosiou for Loyola.

The second half saw Loyola seize momentum, tying the game at 45 and later at 66 on a Braeden Speed jumper. Each time, the Mountaineers had an answer, with Keyes and Lipscomb hitting crucial shots to stem the tide before the final push sealed the win.

Defensively, Mount Saint Mary’s protected the rim with five blocks, two each from 7-foot center Yakhya Diop and Arrington. Loyola’s pressure defense generated 12 steals, led by Theodosiou’s three, but the Greyhounds could not translate all those extra possessions into points.

The announced attendance was 842. Mount Saint Mary’s will look to build on the win when it travels to face Drexel on Friday. Loyola Maryland will try to snap its three-game skid Sunday at George Mason.