DUBUQUE, Iowa - Despite 20 points from senior guard Daniel Joiner of West Chicago, Ill., the Ashford University (8-5, 1-1 MCC) men's basketball team dropped a high-scoring, non-conference battle against Loras College (5-5) on Saturday, 92-85.

The Saints nearly clawed back from a 19-point deficit in the first half, but Loras staved off defeat with timely baskets and efficient free-throw shooting in the last frame.

Ashford suffered its second straight defeat after putting together a four-game win streak. AU and Loras had one common opponent before yesterday's game, a meeting against the University of Dubuque.

"Unfortunately, we had a hole to dig out of in the first half," AU Head Coach Andy Eberhart said. "There were some good things to take away from this game and some things to work on before Coe (College). Loras is a heady team and kept us on our heels."

The DuHawks were hot from beyond the arc in the first period, hitting seven treys on just nine attempts. Ashford attempted to match that rate, but connected on 5-of-14 on its three-point tries.

After AU sophomore forward Marvis Kidd of Hazel Crest, Ill., made a putback layup to give AU a 16-15 lead, Loras guard John Johann would connect from downtown on three of the DuHawks' next four possessions.

Loras slipped out to its first double-digit lead to lead by 12 after a trey at the 6:10 mark, three of Tim Kelly's game-high 24 points.

The DuHawks would sandwich in three more trifectas in the midst of a 12-4 run with just under five minutes before the intermission.

After Loras led by as many as 19, AU would chip away with a 9-4 run to close the half, highlighted by a three-point play by Joiner and treys by sophomore Rashad Carrington of Milwaukee and Jonathan Wyatt of Chicago.

In a foul-plagued second half, the momentum gradually turned towards the Saints as Joiner ignited an 11-0 run with a three-pointer.

After an emphatic block by sophomore Peter Tanzillo of Kewanee, Ill., senior guard Byron Emerson of Rockford, Ill., converted a pair of three throws to trim the Loras lead to eight.

AU forced a turnover on the ensuing possession and sophomore Matthias Burns of Chicago crashed the glass for a bucket. Kidd swatted a shot and Carrington converted a fast-break bucket as Ashford was just four down.

The Saints would get no closer than that the rest of the way with 13 minutes remaining as both teams traded buckets down the stretch.

Carrington and Emerson each had 12 points while Kidd and Tanzillo recorded a pair of blocked shots apiece.

AU looks to get back on the winning track on Wednesday, hosting Coe College in Kehl Arena for a 7 p.m. tip.