Feb. 28, 2006
Box Score
CHICAGO - Junior Jenna Real poured in a career-high 31 points and classmate and frontcourt partner Emily Ponder pitched in a career-high 21 points as Loyola (4-24) saw a 15-point halftime lead evaporate before regrouping to knock off Cleveland State (4-24), 85-82 (OT), in a thrilling Horizon League First Round game at the Gentile Center. The Ramblers advance to Thursday night's quarterfinals where they will face top-seeded UW-Milwaukee for the third time in three weeks.
"It was a great team effort tonight," said head coach Shannon Reidy. "We put together a great first half but it is tournament time and I think we got a little complacent in the second half and they started to hit some shots and we got away from what we wanted to do on the offensive end. Fortunately, we got back to it and we got the win, which is all that matters at this point in the season."
Junior Danielle Nabolotny got the Ramblers started on the right foot in overtime, hitting 4-for-4 from the foul line to give the hosts a 77-73 lead. After an Omega Harrington hoop cut the lead to two, Real hit a pair from the stripe, as Loyola continued to pound the ball inside. Harrington responded with a three-pointer to make it a one-point game before Ponder shook free for a basket and a foul. A couple of Jana Lucas free throws made it an 83-78 Rambler lead and, leading by three minutes later, Ponder converted inside again with 19 seconds left to seal the win.
The overtime came on the heels of a wild second half, that saw Cleveland State come all the way back from a 15-point halftime deficit. A Marquise Hanser three-pointer on Loyola's first possession of the second half gave the home team a seemingly comfortable 45-27 lead. However, Cleveland State, behind Harrington and Dominique Butler, began to chip away. The second of two Harrington triples cut the lead to single digits for the first time with four minutes gone in the half but hoops from Lucas and Real quickly built the lead back to 13 points. Another Real basket made it a 66-53 Rambler edge with 5:22 left and she scored again on a feed from Ponder that gave LU a 72-65 lead with just 1:48 remaining, setting up a frantic finish. Brittany Korth knocked down a three-pointer to cut it to four and Harrington converted a lay-up off a turnover to slice it to two (72-70) with 1:00 left. Hanser, who entered the game as the Horizon League's leading free throw shooter, split a pair from the line with 31 seconds left, making it only a 73-70 lead. Harrington buried a long three-pointer with 22 ticks showing to tie and the Ramblers thought they had the game won in the waning seconds when Mandy Mennella drove for an apparent game-winning three-point play. However, the basket was waved off on an offensive foul and Nicole Thomas' attempted game-winner rolled off the rim at the buzzer.
"We played great team ball tonight," said Real. "Our guards got us into our sets and Emily (Ponder) and I were able to take advantage of some matchups inside by working the high-low and finishing strong inside."
After a sluggish opening 10 minutes, Loyola seized command of the game by pounding it inside to Real and Ponder. Trailing 20-16 at the midway point of the period, the Ramblers reeled off 23 of the next 27 points to take a commanding 39-24 lead before the teams traded three-pointers, giving LU a 42-27 halftime lead. The inside duo combined for 14 of the 23 points in the run and Real ended the period with 14 points and six rebounds, Ponder with 13 points and seven rebounds as the Ramblers dominated the glass to the tune of a 29-12 advantage.
"We executed our game plan tonight and good things happen when you do that," said Ponder, whose previous career-high of 16 points came in the last meeting with Cleveland State. "We have played Milwaukee tough both times and we are hoping to do so again on Thursday."
Real's 31 points were the most by a single Loyola player since Claire Molloy sprung for 31 against Loyola Marymount on Nov. 24, 1995. Ponder added nine rebounds to her 21 points and Lucas recorded her second career double-double, finishing with 11 points and 10 boards off the bench. Hanser finished with 12 points and six assists while Mennella hit just 1-of-6 from the floor for three points but pitched in with six rebounds and seven assists. Harrington finished with 27 points, 20 coming in the second half and overtime, to lead the Vikings.
Loyola returns to action on Thursday night when it takes on top-seeded UW-Milwaukee in the quarterfinals. Tip-time from the Klotsche Center is scheduled for 7 p.m.
