Jan. 26, 2006

Box Score

CHICAGO - Loyola (3-16, 3-5 Horizon) scored the first nine points of the game, opened up a 16-point lead at halftime and held on for a 75-65 win over Youngstown State (5-14, 1-7) tonight at the Gentile Center. Mandy Mennella finished with a game-high 21 points while Marquise Hanser added 19 to help the Ramblers to their second consecutive win.

"I wish we could play every game like we played in the first half tonight," said head coach Shannon Reidy. "We moved the ball well, took open shots and hit them. We gave them points at the free throw line in the second half, especially at the start, and their inside game kept them in the game. But any win is a good win and, hopefully, we can come out Saturday against Detroit and keep it going."

Ironically, it was Loyola's three frontcourt players that scored all nine points in the game-opening spurt before Mennella drilled a three-pointer that gave LU a 12-2 lead just over three minutes into the game. The game found a flow from there with Loyola shooting the ball extremely well and Youngstown State managing to stay close by getting to the free throw line. A pair of Ashlee Russo charity tosses made it a 21-15 game at the 9:24 mark but a Hanser lay-up soon pushed the lead back to double digits and two more Hanser hoops to end the period gave the Ramblers their largest lead, 41-25, heading into intermission. Loyola hit 17-of-27 (.630) from the floor in the half, as Hanser finished with 13 points and Mennella 12 on four from downtown.

Youngstown State seemed poised to get the ball inside in the second half and began to chip away, in earnest, by getting back to the line. A big three-pointer from Danielle Nabolotny pushed the lead back to 13 (50-37) and the Penguins were able to get as close as seven, 54-47, before the Ramblers buckled down and pulled away late.

Loyola shot the ball well, hitting 55% from the floor for the game, to offset a 31-14 deficit in free throw attempts.

Mennella and Hanser were just two of four Ramblers in double figures, with Real (12 points) and Lonie (11) also helping the scoring effort.

Loyola returns to action on Saturday with a 12:30 p.m. tip-off against Detroit at the Gentile Center.