Dec. 14, 2013
Postgame Comments | Box Score | Photo Gallery 
CHICAGO - Visiting Northwestern shot 49.2% (31-for-63) as it defeated Loyola this afternoon, 90-57, at Gentile Arena. Freshman Bailey Farley led Loyola with a career-high 16 points. Northwestern improves to 7-2, while Loyola falls to 2-8 on the season.
The Wildcats notched the game's first six points before Farley drained her first of four three-point shots of the day. Another Farley three, following a bucket from Becca Smith, brought Loyola within three (16-13) with 15:36 remaining in the first half. A jumper by Nia Coffey jumpstarted a 13-0 run for the visitors that saw them open up their lead to 29-13 at the 11:01 mark. Farley hit twice more from beyond the three-point arc but Loyola struggled to find an offensive rhythm and went into halftime trailing, 58-25.
Northwestern shot a staggering 71.4% (10-for-14) from behind the three-point line and 61.8% (21-for-34) overall in the first half. The Wildcats forced Loyola into 12 turnovers, collecting 14 points off of them.
Following a layup by Coffey to open the second half, senior Troy Hambric, who had scored in double-figures in the previous eight games, scored her first points of the afternoon when she connected from the free throw line. Threes on consecutive trips by Katie Faught and Hambric, respectively, helped Loyola cut into the deficit before the Wildcats were able to extend it on a three by Maggie Lyon (67-36) with just under four minutes gone. Despite a determined effort until the final whistle, the Ramblers were unable to chip away as Northwestern cruised to its seventh victory of the season.
Farley was active on both ends of the floor, grabbing seven rebounds and notching three steals to go along with her career-high scoring output. The Fort Wayne, Ind. native was joined in double-figure scoring by Faught, who posted 13 points this afternoon. Ayrealle Beavers, who came into the day leading the Missouri Valley Conference with 6.0 assists per game, dished out a career-high 10 in 27 minutes of play.
With finals concluding early next week, the Ramblers will return to action on Thursday afternoon (Dec. 19) when they host Dartmouth at 2 p.m. inside Gentile Arena.
