New Orleans, La. – The No. 9 Dalton State basketball Roadrunners ran their record to 11-2 overall and 3-0 in the Southern State Athletic Conference with a hard-fought 70-67 win over Loyola on Saturday.

Rudy Winters was the late game hero for the Roadrunners. Playing in only his fourth game of the season, the 6-4 guard led the team in scoring with 19 points including 7 of the final DS 8 points.  Winters played less than 25 minutes in the contest, but hit two free throws and a 3 pointer to put the Roadrunners up 67-75. After the Wolf Pack tied the game at 67, a bucket by Winters gave DS a 69-67 lead. A free throw by Jamaine Burrey provided the final margin of victory. Winters shot 60% from the floor including 2 of 3 from beyond the arch.  He also hit five of his six free throws.

Dalton State leading scorer Marcel Hawkins fouled out of the game with 7:03 remaining. He finished with just five points. Jalen Robinson played in only his second game for the Roadrunners and finished with 15 points and five rebounds. He came off the bench again and his time was further limited because he had four fouls on him. Robinson was limited to 25:18 of playing time. Jordan Bowling had 11 points and six rebounds. Cory McDonald scored 8 points. Burrey had 7 points and four assists. Dehsawn Ruffin added seven.

Each team was 11 of 17 from the foul line after the hosts had to foul late in order to try and get back in it the game. Loyola won the rebounding battle 32 to 27.

"It was a great team effort and a very tough game to win on the road," said Dalton State Coach Tony Ingle. "We competed as well as we have all year and I am so proud of our entire team coming up with big stops and scores in critical situations."

Five Wolf Pack players reached double figures in scoring. Jalen Gray and Nate Pierre each scored 15. Johnny Griffin Jr. had 10 points and 10 rebounds. Nick Parker scored 15.

Dalton State plays at the University of Mobile (9-4 overall, 3-0 SSAC) Monday night. The Roadrunners and the Rams are the only SSAC teams who are still undefeated in conference play. Tip-off will be at 7:30 p.m. CT (8:30 p.m. ET). The Roadrunners will play two games this at Mashburn Arena. They will host (17) Martin Methodist (8-4, 2-1) Thursday at 7:30 p.m. EST. and Bethel (Tenn.) Saturday at 4:00 p.m. EST.

NAIA Saturday Scoreboard:

(9) Dalton State 70, Loyola (La.) 67
Mobile (Ala.) 89, Middle Georgia State 84 (2OT)
William Carey (Miss.) 86, Brewton-Parker 75
(17) Martin Methodist (Tenn.) 74, Faulkner (Ala.) 62
(RV) Auburn Montgomery 106, Bethel (Tenn.) 84
Coastal Georgia 85, Blue Mountain (Miss.) 82
Cumberlands (Ky.) 123, Miami Middleton 70
(1) Pikeville (Ky.) 73, Warner (Fla.) 66
(RV) Tougaloo (Miss.) 100, (RV) Dillard (La.) 92
Union 65, Milligan (Tenn.) 57
Thomas (Ga.) 86, Allen (SC) 75
Truett-McConnell (Ga.) 66, Bluefield (Va.) 62
Bryan (Tn.) 95, St. Andrews (NC) 71
(3) Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) 93, Central Baptist (Ark.) 83
British Columbia 82, (10) Hope International (Calif.) 67
(7) Lewis-Clark State (ID) 96, Montana Tech 62
Reinhardt (Ga,) 91, Montreat (NC) 80
Tennessee Wesleyan 90, Pensacola Christian (Fla.) 63