Feb. 25, 2012

Box Score

CHICAGO - Patrice King scored a team-high 25 points and Loyola scored the first 11 points of the game and never looked back, earning a hard-fought 70-66 win over UIC this afternoon at the UIC Pavilion. The Ramblers move to 12-15 (7-9 Horizon) on the season, racking up their eighth away win of the year, their highest total since the 1988-89 season. UIC drops to 16-11 (9-7).

"It is a great feeling to go out on the road and win," said head coach Eric Simpson. "I was proud of how we came together as a team and I thought it was important to get off to a good start and we certainly were able to do that. To see this team rebound from a rough week in Indiana is a testament to what they can do and, hopefully, we can build some momentum heading into the Horizon League tournament."

Patrice King scored the middle six points in Loyola's game-opening 11-0 run, a spurt capped by a Katie Kortekamp three-pointer. King continued to light up the scoreboard, scoring 15 of LU's first 20 points to help the Ramblers to a 20-8 lead after nine minutes. Monica Albano had a three-pointer and a traditional three-point play to give LU its largest lead of the half (27-11) and the visitors took a 34-22 lead into halftime, holding UIC to 26% shooting in the period.

A three-point play early in the second half made it a 41-24 game before UIC began to chip away. An Emily Kobel three-pointer pulled the Flames within 10 (43-33) with 10:06 on the clock but the Rambler quickly built the lead back up, using another three-point play from Albano and a triple from Lyndsey Booker to restore their 17-point edge (55-38) at the 6:27 mark.

UIC made one final push over the final three minutes, finally cutting the Loyola lead to single digits (62-53) on a Jasmine Bailey three-point play with 2:23 left. The lead was back to 10 after a pair of Ayrealle Beavers free throws with 41 ticks on the clock but the Flames managed to make it a four-point game with nine seconds left after a Taylor Foulks put-back. However, Booker hit a pair from the line and Bailey made a lay-up in the final second to account for the final score.

King was terrific, finishing with 25 points, one shy of her career high, while hitting 10-of-11 from the free throw line. Albano also had a solid game, racking up 16 points and six rebounds, while LU also received big contributions from Lauren Hibbard (nine points, seven rebounds in first career start) and Booker (seven points off the bench).

"Patrice really got us going today," continued Simpson. "I thought she set the tone from the opening tap and it was great to see her and Monica get back to scoring the ball, something we really on to be successful."

Bailey led UIC with 27 points, including a 12-for-20 effort from the free throw line.

Loyola wraps up the regular season with a pair of home games next week, starting with a Thursday night clash against No. 12 Green Bay. Tip-off from Gentile Arena is scheduled for 7 p.m.