Nov. 20, 2007
Box Score
CHICAGO - In a game of runs, Chicago State had the last one, scoring 13 of the game's final 15 points to escape with a 55-53 win over Loyola tonight at the Gentile Center. Elyse VanBogaert scored a team-high 14 points to lead the Ramblers (1-3). Chicago State evens its mark at 2-2 with the win.
"Certainly this is a disappointing loss, especially the way we lost it," said head coach Shannon Reidy. "We did not execute at all, especially in the last four minutes, and that is something that is a concern for us (coaching staff). I thought we did a nice job in the second half to build that lead and then we got away from doing those things and it cost us."
After seeing a 10-point first half lead turn into a four-point halftime deficit, Loyola began to turn it around. Facing a 36-27 deficit with 16:32 on the clock, the Ramblers stormed back, going on a 14-1 run to grab a 41-37 lead. Jessica Hylton started the spurt with a three-point, VanBogaert had a key three-point play inside and Keisha Collins capped the run with a drive down the lane for a lay-up to give LU the lead midway through the period. Hylton came up big again later in the half, scoring off a nice feed from Collins and burying another three from the corner to give the Ramblers a 51-42 lead with 3:50 to play. However, three consecutive empty trips allowed Chicago State to draw within one before Brittany Boeke scored on a nice move inside to restore a three-point lead (53-50) with 1:19 to play. Jasmin Dixon scored to make it a 53-52 game and a turnover gave the Cougars the ball back with 30 seconds left. Dixon was fouled on an inbounds pass and, despite missing four of her first six free throws, buried both to give CSU the lead and the Ramblers turned it over again on the ensuing possession with Dixon adding a free throw for the final margin.
The dramatics were a continuation of a first half that saw the Ramblers come out strong, racing out to a 19-9 lead after consecutive hoops from Jana Lucas. Maggie McCloskey hit a pair of threes and Collins added another as Loyola was knocking down open shots. After opening the lead, the offense went stagnant and the Cougars outscored the Ramblers 20-6 over the last 8:39 to take a 29-25 halftime lead.
Hylton joined VanBogaert in double figures, scoring all of her season-high 10 points after halftime. Dixon had a game-high 21 points to lead Chicago State.
Loyola breaks for the Thanksgiving holiday and returns to action on Sunday afternoon with a 2 p.m. contest at Northwestern.
