Jan. 21, 2006
Box Score
CHICAGO - Junior guard Marquise Hanser (Fort Mitchell, Ky.) tallied a game-high 25 points and 10 rebounds as Loyola used a 29-17 span in the final 10 minutes to knock off visiting Wright State in overtime, 85-77, in Horizon League play Saturday afternoon at the Gentile Center. With the win, the Ramblers improve to 2-16 (2-5 Horizon), while Wright State's record falls to 6-11 (2-5) on the year.
"We were motivated to prove that we could play with this team after losing to them on the road a couple of weeks ago," said Hanser, who also tallied four assists and two steals for the day. " Everyone played well and converted big plays here for us and that's how you win ball games down the stretch."
Both teams were evenly matched at the start of the first half that ended with a 16-all tie at the 10 minute mark. Loyola then produced a 12-3 run behind six points from Hanser and four tallies from junior forward Jenna Real (Elgin, Ill.) to take a 28-19 lead at the 2:22 mark. The Raiders scored five quick points on a Rhea Mays three-pointer and a jumper from Brittney Whiteside to pull within two points at 28-26 with a minute left. Back-to-back layups by Hanser and Real brought LU into the break sporting a 32-28 advantage.
WSU opened the second half with an 8-4 run over a span of 3:14 and took a 36-34 lead on a layup by Whiteside at the 16:36 mark. Senior forward Danielle Lonie (Country Club Hills, Ill.) later tied the game at 36-all with a layup and Hanser scored five straight points to give the Maroon and Gold a 41-36 lead at the 13:38 mark. The Raiders then used a 12-3 run to reclaim the lead at 48-44 on a Steph Comisar three-pointer with 9:43 left in regulation. Down 66-61 with 1:30 remaining, senior guard Mandy Mennella (Hoffman Estates, Ill.) drained a three from the right corner to cut WSU's lead down to 66-64. Hanser then hit the go-ahead trey to put the home team up by one and later hit two free throws to give the Ramblers a 69-66 lead with 14 seconds left. Mays connected on a three-pointer with seven seconds remaining to send the game into an extra period.
Hanser knocked down two free throws to give Loyola a 71-69 lead early in overtime before Whiteside converted four straight free throws of her own to give the Raiders a 73-71 advantage. The Ramblers then received five straight points from junior forward Danielle Nabolotny (Glenview, Ill.) to take a 76-73 lead with 1:55 left in OT. Wright State cut their deficit to within three at 78-75 on a pair of Lewis free throws at the 49-second mark. Real tallied a three-point play with 30 seconds and Lonie hit four free throws down the stretch to close out the game for the Ramblers.
In addition to Hanser, LU had three other players score in double figures. Lonie scored 21 points and Real contributed 18 points and nine rebounds for the Ramblers. Mennella finished with 10 points, six assists and five rebounds. Whiteside and Tyanda Hammock each produced 19 points to lead Wright State, who had five players in double figures.
Loyola shot 51 percent from the floor and held WSU to a 44 percent shooting clip. The Ramblers held a 39-32 advantage on the boards and converted a whopping 95 percent of their free throws, a feat that has not been accomplished since the 2003 season against the Raiders.
