Jan. 7, 2006

Box Score

CHICAGO - Senior Mandy Mennella drilled six three-pointers, tied her season-high with 22 points and keyed a 21-2 run to close the first half as Loyola earned its first win under new head coach Shannon Reidy, 73-65, over Cleveland State this afternoon at the Gentile Center. The Ramblers, which placed four in double figures, improve to 1-13 (1-2 Horizon) and send the Vikings to 3-11 (1-2) on the season.

"Everything came together for us today," said Mennella. "It all started with our defense in the first half and we were able to get stops and push the ball up the floor and get into our offense. We have played hard every game this year and today we were able to play hard and play smart for the full 40 minutes and good things happen when you can do that."

Cleveland State jumped out to an early lead and was able to maintain it throughout the majority of the half. Trailing 17-11, Mennella knocked down her first of four threes in the half and Jenna Real scored inside to pull the Ramblers within one. The Vikings answered by scoring the next six points to open its largest lead of the half, 23-16, with 6:48 left before the Ramblers closed the period with a flurry. Danielle Lonie scored inside and Mennella drilled another three moments later to tie the game and jumpstart the 21-2 spurt over the final 6:35 of the period. Mennella hit three treys in the run, which was capped by a Real lay-up that gave LU a 37-25 lead heading into intermission.

After scoring just two points in the opening half, junior Marquise Hanser got the second half started with a three-pointer from the left wing as LU opened up its largest lead of the game, 40-27, less than a minute into the period. The teams traded hoops over the next five minutes before the Vikings began to slowly chip away. A three-pointer from Omega Harrington and a hoop from Erica Hormig cut the lead to seven before Hanser stepped up and drilled another three-ball to restore a double-digit lead. After Cleveland State closed to within six it was Mennella who gave the Ramblers a boost, knocking down a three-pointer off an inbounds play, as LU managed to keep the visitors at bay. Hanser found Mennella for her sixth trey later to repel another Viking charge and CSU would get no closer than five points the rest of the way. The two switched roles to ice the game, as Mennella found Hanser on a back-door cut for a traditional three-point play to give the Ramblers an 11-point lead with 46 seconds left.

"It was a total team effort today," said Hanser. "We got scoring inside and Mandy was hitting everything from the outside and that is what we need to win games. As a group we have been working so hard and it is great to get a win."

Loyola finished the game shooting 46% from the floor compared to just 35% for Cleveland State. The Vikings pounded the offensive glass for 25 offensive rebounds, which translated into an 82-57 edge in field goal attempts, but the Ramblers got enough defensive rebounds, and added 17 offensive boards of their own, to win the rebounding battle, 47-41.

In addition to Mennella, Loyola received a big boost from Lonie, who tied her career-high with 17 points and added nine rebounds. Real continued her solid play with 14 points and seven boards while Hanser played a solid floor game, finishing with 13 points and a career-high seven assists.

Loyola returns to the court on Wednesday, when it opens a stretch of three-straight road games at Wright State. Tip-off from the Nutter Center is scheduled for 6 p.m.