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Lonie Free Throw Pushes Ramblers Past IUPUI, 69-68
11/26/2003
Free throw with 0.4 seconds left caps furious comeback
Mandy Mennella scored a season-high 13 points in Loyola's win over IUPUI |
Chicago (November 26, 2003) -- Sophomore Danielle Lonie (Country Club Hills, Ill.) hit the second of two free throws with 0.4 seconds left to cap a 7-0 LU run over the last 1:23 and lift Loyola (1-2) to a 69-68 win over IUPUI (0-3) tonight at the Gentile Center.
The visiting Jaguars came out strong and opened up a 16-9 lead after six minutes before Loyola answered with an 8-0 run, capped by five quick points from Mandy Mennella (Hoffman Estates, Ill.), to grab a 17-16 advantage. Loyola managed to play with the lead for the remainder of the first half but could not shake the Jaguars, who closed the gap to one (35-34) at halftime courtesy of an Erin Guy three-pointer in the final minute. The Ramblers hit only 15-40 (.375) from the floor in the first half, compared to 14-of-27 (.519) from IUPUI, but did hit four three-pointers, including a 3-for-3 performance from Mennella.
The second half was close throughout and neither team had a lead larger than four points until an 8-2 Jaguar run broke a 60-60 deadlock and gave IUPUI a 68-62 lead with just 1:23 on the clock. Loyola started its comeback after a Jaguar turnover, as Ciara Henderson (Burlington, Ky.), who had missed her previous six from downtown, hit a three-pointer from the right wing to cut the deficit to 68-65 with 51 seconds left. After IUPUI missed a pair from the line, Henderson drained another trifecta, this time from the right corner, to tie the game with 32 ticks on the clock. After a steal with seven seconds left, Loyola pushed the ball up the floor and a nice penetration and dish by Meskhenet Lands (Indianapolis, Ind.) set up Lonie who was hammered on her way to the basket. After a IUPUI timeout, Lonie missed the first but hit the second to give LU its first win of the season.
Henderson had a team-high 18 points and five steals to lead the Ramblers. Mennella and Lonie also reached double figures for LU. Mennella scored 11 of her season-high 13 points in the first half while Lonie scored all of her career-high 11 points after halftime.
Loyola enjoys a brief Thanksgiving break before playing at Eastern Illinois this Saturday afternoon. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. in Charleston, Ill.
