Box Score

CHICAGO - Simone Law and Becca Smith both reached double figures in scoring but a hot-shooting Georgia Tech team proved to be too much for Loyola this evening, defeating the Ramblers, 92-57, in the opening game of the 2014-15 season for both teams at Gentile Arena.

Following a three-point play from Roddreka Rogers, Courtney Lindfors put Loyola on the board for the first time this season, draining a pair of free throws to make it 3-2 at the 19:32 mark. Law answered a bucket from Aaliyah Whiteside, scoring with 19:07 remaining, to pull Loyola back to within one (5-4) again with just under a minute gone. The visiting Yellow Jackets responded with the next six points, capped off by a Whiteside score, to open up a seven-point edge (11-4) with 17:51 left in the first half.

A three-point bucket from Tiana Karopulos, one of three Ramblers to start tonight that missed the majority of last season due to injury, had Loyola down only two (11-9) with 17:16 to play in the opening stanza. Following a split at the free throw line from Taylor Johnson that put Loyola down five (17-12), Georgia Tech erupted for the game's next six points to push its lead into double digits (23-12) for the first time with slightly over seven minutes gone in the half. After a pair of free throws from Law at the 9:09 mark made it 29-19, the Yellow Jackets took off on a 13-2 spurt that had them up 21 (42-21) with 6:17 remaining. The Ramblers chipped the deficit back down to 16 (42-26) on a Lindfors free throw with 3:30 left but Georgia Tech quickly stretched the lead back up over 20, taking a 51-29 lead into halftime.

The Yellow Jackets took advantage of their size in the middle during the opening 20 minutes, outrebounding the Ramblers at a 21-14 clip. Georgia Tech also benefited from 10 Loyola turnovers, scoring 19 points off of them. Law led the Ramblers with 11 points in the first half.

Loyola came out fighting to begin the second half as it did all it could to hold a high-powered Georgia Tech offense in-check. A three ball from Johnson, one of Loyola' three three-pointers on the night, cut the Yellow Jacket lead back down to 25 (59-34), after it had risen to 28, at the 14:23 mark of the second half. Katarina Vuckovic scored the next seven points for the visitors from Atlanta, Ga., pushing the lead over 30 (66-34) for the first time. A pair of free throws from Smith were answered with another Georgia Tech run, this time an 8-0 spurt, to make it 74-36 with just over eight minutes to play. The Ramblers were unable to chip the lead down under 30 for the rest of the night, as Georgia Tech claimed a 92-57 victory.

Law scored a team-high 16 points to lead the Maroon & Gold this evening, while Smith contributed 10 points of her own, all of which came in the second half. Law, a senior out of South Holland, Ill., also came down with seven boards, the top-mark for a Rambler, and swatted a pair of shots, tying for the team-lead in the category with Lindfors this evening. Kaela Davis and Imani Tilford each poured in 17 points to lead Georgia Tech on the offensive end.

Loyola returns to action on Monday night when it hits the road to take on the Marquette Golden Eagles. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. from Milwaukee, Wis.