March 8, 2014
Box Score
CHICAGO - Visiting Evansville used a pair of first half runs to subdue Loyola, 77-63, this afternoon inside Gentile Arena. The Purple Aces, who have now won eight consecutive games, move to 15-14 (10-8 Missouri Valley) overall, while the Ramblers fall to 10-20 (6-12 Missouri Valley).
Evansville raced out of the gate, taking a 12-2 lead after just four minutes had elapsed. Troy Hambric ended what was a 9-0 Purple Aces run with a basket at the 15:20 mark as Loyola began to gradually chip away at the deficit. The Ramblers used an 11-3 run, capped off by one of Bailey Farley's three three-point baskets on the afternoon, to draw to within two (17-15) with 10:52 remaining in the first half.
The visitors responded, reestablishing their lead and pushing it to 11 (30-19) on a pair of Mallory Ladd free throws. Hambric, refusing to go down quietly in her final game inside Gentile Arena, scored to cut the lead back down to single digits but the Purple Aces were able to hold strong and take a 12-point advantage (44-32) into halftime. Farley led Loyola with nine points in the half, while Hambric and Molly Crosby added eight each.
Loyola again looked to mount a comeback as the second half began. The Ramblers clawed to within seven (47-40) on a Farley jumper with 15:37 remaining. A Katie Ellerson free throw and a three from Kat Taylor quickly gave Evansville some breathing room (51-40) as the lead hovered between nine and 13 points during the middle stages of the second stanza.
An old fashioned three-point play from Courtney Lindfors and a split at the line from Hambric once again cut the margin to seven (62-55) with 7:35 to play. A three from Dakota Weatherford on Evansville's next possession, following Hambric's free throw, brought the Purple Aces' lead into double figures (65-55) for good as they held on for their tenth conference victory of the season.
The Ramblers faired better than Evansville from the field (38.7%-35.2%) but the Purple Aces held a sizeable advantage from beyond the three-point arc, connecting on eleven three-point shots compared to Loyola's three, while also making 28 free throws. Hambric (17 points), Farley (11 points), Cate Soane (11 points), Crosby (10 points) and Lindfors (10 points) all finished in double figures for Loyola. Mallory Ladd poured in a game-high 21 points to lead the Purple Aces.
Loyola plays its first-ever game in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament on Thursday (March 13) afternoon when it faces off with in-state rival Bradley. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. from the Family Arena in St. Charles, Mo.
