Feb. 26, 2009
Box Score
CHICAGO - Loyola (8-17, 3-12 Horizon) scored the first 19 points of the game, opened a 24-point first-half lead and withstood a run in the early moments of the second half in a 70-52 win over Youngstown State (2-24, 0-15) tonight at the Gentile Center.
Elyse VanBogaert scored seven of Loyola's first eight points as the Ramblers got off to a dream start. A pull-up jumper from Lisa Samplawski made it 10-0 after four minutes and a Jessica Hylton three-pointer gave LU a 19-0 lead with 13:08 on the clock. Youngstown State turned the ball over six times and missed its first five shots before getting on the board via an Ashley Pendleton free throw at the 12:37 mark. The Ramblers did not let up and two more VanBogaert buckets later extended the margin to 24 (29-5) with just over eight minutes left in the period before settling for a 34-18 lead at intermission. VanBogaert hit 6-of-8 from the floor in the period to account for 13 of LU's 34 points.
Loyola got off to a slow start in the second half and Youngstown State rode the hot hand of Camisha Alexander to get back into the game. The Penguins rattled off the first nine points of the period to get within seven (36-27) and four more points from Alexander actually drew the Penguins within three, 38-35, at the 15:38 mark. Lindsey Sebetic knocked down a three from the corner on the next LU possession to bump the lead back to six and she fed Ellen Ayoub for a basket later to restore a double-digit lead (45-35) with 13:46 on the clock. The Penguins would get no closer than seven points the rest of the way and the Ramblers maintained their double-figure advantage over the last seven minutes.
VanBogaert finished with a game-high 23 points (11-13 FGs) to lead the Ramblers. Loyola also got a big lift from the bench, as both Hylton (11 points) and Ayoub (10 points, five rebounds, three steals) made significant contributions. Keisha Collins had a nine all-around game, finishing with nine points, six rebounds and five assists.
Loyola wraps up its home schedule on Saturday with a 2 p.m. game against Cleveland State.
