Feb. 7, 2013
Box Score | Photo Gallery 
CHICAGO - Monica Albano scored 17 of her game-high 23 points in the second half but visiting Green Bay scored the last five points of the game to escape with a 65-62 win over the Ramblers tonight at Gentile Arena. Loyola slips to 7-13 (2-5 Horizon) while the Phoenix maintain its perfect League mark, improving to 18-2, 8-0.
"There are no moral victories in college basketball," said head coach Eric Simpson. "I was very pleased with how we competed and met the challenge, particularly defensively, tonight and now we have to be able to replicate that, especially with another tough game on Saturday."
The game was close throughout and defense was the story of the first half. Consecutive baskets by Troy Hambric gave Loyola an 11-8 lead at the under-12 minute media timeout but Green Bay rallied to grab a 17-16 lead with 5:15 left on an Adrian Ritchie three-pointer. Albano answered with a three-pointer of her own to give LU the lead back and Abby Skube and Taylor Johnson followed with transition baskets to give the Ramblers their largest lead of the half (23-17) with 4:07 to play. The Phoenix scored the next five to stem the tide but another Albano trey sent Loyola to the locker room with a 26-25 lead. Neither team shot the ball particularly well with Loyola hitting at a 36% clip and Green Bay right behind at 35%.
Both teams sharpened up in the second half and the Phoenix rattled off nine of the first 11 points of the half to grab a 34-28 lead. Hambric scored inside and Albano followed with a triple as the Ramblers hung around and both teams began to click offensively, as the game turned into a dual between Ritchie and Albano. Five straight points from Ritchie gave Green Bay a 39-33 lead but Albano halved the deficit with a three. She hit another one minutes later to make it a 47-46 game at the 9:47 mark and a Becca Smith put-back gave LU the lead back (48-47) with just over nine minutes to go.
A technical foul helped give Green Bay the lead back and the Phoenix edged out to a 55-52 lead on a pair of Megan Lukan free throws at the 6:55 mark. However, Loyola would not go away and two baskets by Johnson and an Albano free throw pushed the Ramblers back in front, 57-55, with just under four minutes to go. Green Bay tied it on the ensuing possession but a Lyndsey Booker three-ball gave the Ramblers the lead back. Loyola still led 62-60 after a Hambric basket with 1:54 remaining but two Breannah Ranger buckets gave GB a 64-62 lead with :44.6 to play. The Ramblers had two chances, the second coming after Lydia Bauer split a pair from the line, but could not find the bottom of the net.
"We did a nice job of executing and taking care of the ball (13 turnovers) against one of the best defensive teams in the country," continued Simpson. "Monica was very aggressive both from the three-point line and putting the ball on the floor tonight."
Albano was terrific, knocking down 6-of-14 from the arc en route to her 23 points. She was joined in double figures by Johnson (12 points, six steals) and Hambric (11 points, nine rebounds, four blocks). Ritchie scored 15 of her team-high 22 points in the second half to lead Green Bay.
Loyola returns to the floor on Saturday afternoon with a 2 p.m. game against Cleveland State at Gentile Arena.
