Nov. 12, 2007

Box Score

Milwaukee, Wis. - Maggie McCloskey scored a game-high 17 points and Keisha Collins added 15 and eight assists but it was not enough as Loyola could not get over the hump in the second half in an 82-69 setback at Marquette tonight in the Al McGuire Center in Milwaukee, Wis. Loyola's record evens at 1-1 while the Golden Eagles move to 1-0.

"I was pleased, for the most part, with how we battled throughout the entire game," said head coach Shannon Reidy. "Any time we can come out and score 69 points against a quality BIG EAST team you have to feel good about your production. Even though we were undersized out there, I thought we could have rebounded the ball better and I thought we looked disorganized, at times, on the offensive end in the first half. We have plenty of stuff to improve on as we get ready for Dayton on Saturday night."

Loyola hung with its bigger adversaries throughout the first half and a 9-0 run, capped by a Brittney Marshall hoop, gave the Ramblers a 13-7 lead at the 13:15 mark. Marquette was able to get back into the game and regained the lead, 14-13, on an Erin Monfre three-pointer. A three-point play from Marshall on the break put LU back in front but the Ramblers hit a cold spell and the hosts were able to capitalize, going on a 19-5 run to take its largest lead of the half, 35-21, at the 5:29 mark. Loyola was able to stem the tide and pulled within 10 on three different occasion over the final five minutes, the last coming on two Collins free throws with 1:27 to play, but MU scored the last two buckets of the period to take a 43-29 lead into halftime.

McCloskey, who failed to score in the opening period, hit her first shot of the second half to get on the board and the teams, essentially, traded baskets over the first eight minutes of the half. McCloskey buried a triple to make it a 58-46 game and, after a turnover, Collins was fouled on a three-point shot. The sophomore hit two of three from the stripe to cut the deficit back to 10 (58-48) with exactly 13:00 on the clock. Marquette answered with five quick points but Marshall knocked down a trey of her own to keep LU within striking distance. However, the Ramblers just could not get over the hump, despite McCloskey knocking down five threes and pouring in 17 points in the period.

Marshall gave the Ramblers a third guard in double figures, scoring 11 points off the bench, while Brittany Boeke fouled out with nine points.

Loyola returns to action on Saturday night when the Ramblers host Dayton at 7 p.m. at the Gentile Center.