Final Stats | Highlights | Postgame Comments

CHICAGO - A strong second-half performance propelled preseason league favorite Wichita State to a 65-41 victory over Loyola this afternoon at Gentile Arena. The Shockers improve to 14-3 (5-0 Missouri Valley) with the win, their eighth straight, while the Ramblers drop to 2-15 (0-6 Missouri Valley).

Neither team was able to settle into an offensive rhythm in the game's opening minutes. Becca Smith connected from beyond the three point arc, answering a pair of Kelsey Jacobs free throws, to put the Ramblers on top by one (3-2) with 17:21 to play in the half. Wichita State ran off the game's next seven points to surge in front (9-3) with just under five minutes gone. To its credit, Loyola answered back, tying the game at 9-9 on a Courtney Lindfors score with 13:44 remaining. Wichita State regained the lead on its next trip down the floor on two more Jacobs free throws but the Ramblers refused to go away for the remainder of the half. Taylor Johnson's second bucket of the day drew Loyola back to within two (25-23) heading into halftime.

Bailey Farley led the Maroon & Gold with seven points in the first half. Smith chipped in six points as well, all of which came from long distance. The Shockers received all of their production from their starting lineup in the first half, with Jacobs and Michaela Dapprich each scoring seven points to lead the way, as they were held to only 23.3% (7-of-30) shooting from the field by the Rambler defense.

Johnson looked to pickup right where she left off in the opening stanza when she raced inside for a layup to tie the game at 25-25 with under a minute gone in the second half. The redshirt sophomore's bucket would be Loyola's last until the 15:44 mark as the Shockers ran off the game's next 11 points to open up a 36-25 edge with 15:52 to play. Taylor Manuel's first field goal of the day cut the deficit back into single digits (36-27) but back-to-back scores from Alex Harden and Alie Decker quickly bumped the Shockers' lead up to 13 (40-27) with 14:42 to play in regulation. Wichita State kept its foot on the gas, stretching its lead all the way up to 26 at one point, as it picked up its fifth straight victory to open up conference play.

Becca Smith finished with a team-high nine points as no Ramblers reached double figures in scoring. Manuel pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds to go along with five points and a pair of assists. Decker poured in a game-high 15 points to lead a group of four Shockers to finish in double figures. That quartet included Jacobs, who notched a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Loyola will return to the hardwood in one week (Jan. 25) when it hosts in-state rival Bradley. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. from inside Gentile Arena.