ATLANTA

With Loyola-Chicago’s captivating NCAA Tournament run hanging in the balance, it was Marques Townes’ turn to deliver another memorable finish.

Townes had scored only a combined 15 points in Loyola’s first two NCAA Tournament games, but that didn’t concern Ramblers coach Porter Moser. Townes had the ball in front of the Loyola bench in the final seconds Thursday night and the shot clock about to expire.

With Loyola clinging to a one-point lead and only 6.3 seconds remaining, Townes nailed the decisive 3-pointer to help clinch a 69-68 win over Nevada in the NCAA South Regional semifinal.

Townes, who had 18 points, charged down the court, pumping his fist, following the shot.

Following a timeout, Nevada’s Caleb Martin answered with a 3, but this time the Wolf Pack couldn’t extend their string of second-half comebacks in the tournament.

The win leaves the No. 11th-seeded Ramblers, the biggest surprise in a regional that has lost its top four seeds, one victory from a Final Four appearance. Loyola (31-5), which has won three tournament games by a combined four points, awaits the winner of the Kansas State-Kentucky game in Saturday’s regional final.

Not bad for a program that hadn’t been in the Sweet 16 in 33 years.

FAMOUS FANS — Four members of Loyola’s famous 1963 NCAA championship team had front-row seats: Jerry Harkness, Les Hunter, John Egan and Rich Rochelle. In the final minutes of the game, Harkness could be heard saying, “We need a stop. We just need a stop.”

Also attending the game was Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, Loyola’s 98-yearold team chaplain who has become a celebrity during the tournament. “It was getting pretty bad. I thought I might have to resort to my nitro (nitroglycerin), but I didn’t have to do that,” she said after the win. She also had a word of caution for Loyola’s next opponent: “Here we come, next team, whoever you are.”

UP NEXT — Loyola: The Ramblers will face the winner of Thursday night’s Kansas State-Kentucky regional semifinal in Saturday’s regional final.

Nevada: Despite losing four seniors, the Wolf Pack again will be a team to watch in Mountain West. Among the top returning players will be the Martin twins, who are juniors.