Box Score

EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Host Evansville used a stifling defensive effort, forcing 23 Rambler turnovers, to defeat Loyola by a final count of 63-38 this evening at the Ford Center in Evansville, Ind. The Purple Aces climb back to the .500 mark overall at 7-7 (2-1 Missouri Valley), while the Ramblers fall to 2-12 (0-3 Missouri Valley).

Turnovers dominated the game's opening minutes with the two teams combining for nine giveaways before the first media timeout (15:52). A split from Sara Dickey at the free throw put the first points of the night (1-0) on the board following the restart. Ryaen Johnson came off the bench to register the Ramblers' first points of the night at the 13:11 mark, cutting the Purple Aces lead down to two (4-2).

Mallory Ladd's second three-pointer of the half stretched the Evansville advantage to seven (11-4) with 9:38 to play in the first half. The deficit reached double-digits (18-7) for the first time on the evening after Dickey drained a pair from the charity stripe. An old-fashioned three-point play from Taylor Manuel brought the Ramblers back to within 10 (23-13) but the Purple Aces closed the half with five unanswered points to take a 28-13 lead into the locker room.

Loyola hit on only 4-of-21 (19%) attempts in the first half, while Evansville, bolstered by a stretch that saw it connect on five of its final seven shots in the opening stanza, closed the half at just under 35% (8-of-23). Manuel led the way for the Maroon & Gold with five points and five rebounds. Dickey paced the Purple Aces' attack with 10 points.

Following a pair of Dickey free throws that pushed the margin to 17 (34-17), Loyola took off on a 9-0 run, capped off by Destiny Washington's fast break score, to trim the Purple Aces' lead back into single-digits (34-26) with 13:03 remaining in regulation. Evansville answered back with the game's next seven points to quickly reestablish a 15-point edge (41-26) by the 10:51 mark.

Two free throws from Ryaen Johnson, who finished with a career-best eight points, drew the Ramblers to within 13 (41-28) but that would be as close as the visitors could get for the rest of the night. Evansville caught fire from beyond the three-point arc, stretching its lead up over the 20-point plateau, as it coasted to the finish line.

Manuel finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds to lead the way for Loyola, recording her third double-double in as many games. Courtney Lindfors caused issues for the Purple Aces in the paint, blocking a season-high four shots. Dickey and Ladd each chipped in 19 points for Evansville.

Loyola wraps up its two-game trip through the Hoosier State on Sunday afternoon when it heads north to take on the Indiana State Sycamores. Tip-off is slated for 1:05 p.m. (CT) from the Hulman Center in Terre Haute, Ind.