Feb. 16, 2006

Box Score

CHICAGO - Visiting Butler went on a key 17-3 run spanning both halves to take control and went on to an 82-69 win over Loyola tonight at the Gentile Center. The Ramblers drop to 3-21 (3-10 Horizon) with the loss while Butler improves to 13-11 (8-5) with the victory.

"Our problem tonight was that we had too many lapses," said senior guard Mandy Mennella. "We fell behind by 10 in the first half and got it back to one and then we could not execute on either end of the court and Butler made us pay for it. This is a correctable problem and something we need to keep working on. There is a lot of season left plus the tournament so, hopefully, we can get back on the same page and finish strong."

Both teams opened the game shooting the ball very well and Loyola took an early 10-7 lead after a three-pointer from Mandy Mennella and a driving basket from Marquise Hanser. Butler regrouped and took a three-point lead after consecutive treys from Cassie Freeman and Ellen Hamilton and a Candyce Brown triple later in the period gave the Bulldogs their largest lead of the half (35-25) at the 5:21 mark. However, Loyola dug in defensively and managed to claw its way back into the game. A 9-0 run, highlighted by four points from Emily Ponder, pulled LU within a point (35-34) before Butler used the free throw line to take a 45-38 lead into halftime.

The Bulldogs carried the momentum out of the locker room and Jackie Closser capped the game-changing run with a three-pointer, giving Butler a 54-39 lead after four minutes. The lead grew to as many as 18 points before the Ramblers made one charge. Back-to-back threes from Hanser and Mennella sliced a 16-point deficit to 10 (68-58) and a Nicole Garcia lay-up minutes later pulled Loyola within nine at the 5:52 mark, as the Ramblers continued fighting. However, a Lade Akande hoop pushed the lead back to double digits and Loyola would get no closer than eight the rest of the way.

Loyola shot the ball extremely well all game, hitting 54% from the floor on the night, and enjoyed a 33-24 edge on the glass but could not overcome 23 turnovers. Butler finished at 48%, including 9-of-20 from the three-point line.

Mennella led the Ramblers with 20 points while Garcia (14 points), Ponder (13) and Hanser (11) also reached double figures. Akande led all scorers with 26 points for Butler.

Loyola returns to action on Saturday afternoon when it travels to Cleveland to battle Cleveland State. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. CT from the Wolstein Center.