March 6, 2014
Final Stats
CHICAGO - Loyola shot well over 50% from the field and Becca Smith narrowly missed out on a triple-double as the Ramblers defeated Southern Illinois, 67-56, this evening inside Gentile Arena. With the victory, Loyola snaps a seven-game losing skid and improves to 10-19 overall (6-11 Missouri Valley), while the Salukis slip to 5-23 overall (3-14 Missouri Valley).
The Ramblers raced out of the gate, grabbing an 11-4 lead with just short of five minutes elapsed. Slowly but surely, Loyola extended the lead, pushing it into double figures (23-13) on a Taylor Nazon jumper at the 5:03 mark of the first half. Dyana Pierre, the reigning Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week, did all she could to claw her team back, scoring four straight to cut the Saluki deficit to six (25-19) before Troy Hambric went on to score six of the half's final eight points to send the Ramblers into the locker room with a 33-19 lead at halftime.
Nazon (11 points) and Hambric (10 points) both led the way on the offensive end. Smith seemed to be everywhere in the first half, grabbing ten rebounds and dishing out six assists. The Ramblers shot over 53% (15-of-28) in the opening stanza, while holding the Salukis to 21% (6-of-28). Loyola was dominant inside in the first 20 minutes, holding a sizeable advantage (18-4) in points in the paint.
The home team picked up right where it left off to begin the second half. Cate Soane drained a jumper to push the lead to 16 (35-19). A basket by Courtney Lindfors helped bump the advantage up to 19 before the Salukis scored eight unanswered to draw to within 11 (45-34) with 12:48 left in the half. The Ramblers refused to let the visitors back in the game though, answering back with a 7-0 run to extend the margin to 18 (54-36) on a Soane jumper with 8:37 to play. A layup from Bailey Farley with 6:35 remaining saw the Ramblers build their largest lead of the evening (59-38) as they cruised to the finish line from there.
Loyola finished the game at 54% from the field and held Southern Illinois to 28%. Hambric paced the offense, scoring 20 points. Soane finished with a career-high 18 points, while Nazon matched her career-best scoring output for the second consecutive game with 14. Smith finished with career-high marks in rebounds (14) and assists (14). Pierre led the way for the Salukis, posting the 21st double-double of her career with 18 points and 18 rebounds.
The Ramblers wrap up the regular season on Saturday afternoon when they play host to the Evansville Purple Aces at 2 p.m. inside Gentile Arena. Loyola will honor its three graduating seniors in a special ceremony prior to tip-off.
