Jan. 22, 2009

Box Score

CHICAGO - Visiting Green Bay used a 17-0 run that bridged both halves to take control and cruised to a 74-54 win over Loyola tonight at the Gentile Center. Loyola drops to 5-11 (0-6 Horizon) while Green Bay improves to 14-3 (6-0).

Green Bay jumped out to an early 8-2 lead but, after a timeout, Loyola responded. A pair of Shannon Finnegan free throws and a Lisa Samplawski floater drew LU within a pair and the Rambler deficit fluctuated between four and six points over the next five minutes. Two Jessica Hylton baskets cut the Phoenix lead to a deuce (16-14) at the 8:38 mark before Green Bay but Loyola managed just five points the rest of the half (a three-pointer from Keisha Collins and a Finnegan bucket). Finnegan's jumper at the 5:21 mark provided the Ramblers' final points of the period and a Rachel Porath three-pointer from the wing in the final half-minute gave GB a 36-19 lead at intermission.

The Phoenix scored the first two hoops of the second half to close out the run with a 40-19 lead and the Ramblers were playing catch-up the rest of the way but were unable to sustain a game-changing run.

After shooting just 29% in the first half, Loyola blazed the nets at a 58% clip in the second half but could not overcome the cold early shooting and 26 turnovers that Green Bay turned into 30 points.

Maggie McCloskey led the Ramblers with nine points and Hylton played an inspired game off the bench, finishing with eight points and nine rebounds in 31 minutes. Collins added eight points and four assists while Samplawski and fellow freshman Ellen Ayoub notched seven points apiece.

Loyola returns to the floor on Saturday against Milwaukee at 2 p.m. at the Gentile Center.