Box Score

CHICAGO - Visiting Miami (FL) used a 10-0 run in the second-quarter to open up a double-digit lead and never looked back as it defeated Loyola, 77-50, in the Ramblers' 2015-16 home opener this afternoon at Gentile Arena. With the win, the Hurricanes continue their perfect start to the season, moving to 4-0, while the Ramblers fall to 1-2.

Loyola more than held its own throughout the first quarter against a Hurricanes squad that has made six straight postseason appearances. A Nieka Wheeler offensive rebound kept the Ramblers first possession alive and set up a jumper from Taylor Manuel that put the Maroon & Gold on the board first, 2-0, with just over 30 seconds gone. Following a mid-range jumper from Taylor Johnson that gave Loyola a 6-4 edge, Preseason All-Atlantic Coast Conference pick Adrienne Motley gave the Hurricanes their first lead of the day, 7-6, when she knocked down a deep triple at the 4:40 mark. The Ramblers continued to stay within striking distance for the remainder of the quarter, pulling to within three, 14-11, on a Brandi Segars bucket as time expired.

Laura Cornelius' only three-point field goal of the afternoon ignited the Hurricanes run to open the second frame, which saw Miami stretch its lead to 13 (24-11) with 8:49 to play. Wheeler split a pair of attempts from the charity stripe to bring an end to the run, but Miami's pressure defense continued to frustrate the Ramblers as the quarter progressed. An offensive rebound and put back from Motley with 3:15 remaining pushed the margin to 20 (33-13) for the first time on the afternoon. Following a Cornelius jumper that made it 35-13, Loyola rattled off nine unanswered points, capped off by a pair of Manuel makes from the free throw line, to chip the deficit down to 13 (35-22) before Michele Woods rattled home a shot from distance with only eight seconds remaining to send the Hurricanes into halftime with a 38-22 edge.

Miami came out of the locker room and wasted little time in extending its lead. A triple from Jessica Thomas followed by a fastbreak score from Erykah Davenport quickly pushed the Hurricane lead back up to 21 (43-22) with just over two minutes gone in the third quarter. An old-fashioned three-point play from Manuel helped Loyola whittle the deficit back down to 20 (45-25) at the 6:22 mark but jumpers from Thomas and Motley shortly after put the Hurricanes in front by 24 (49-25) as the visitors raced into the fourth quarter with a 59-34 edge.

As was the case to begin the second half, the Ramblers struggled to make a dent in their deficit in the fourth quarter. Johnson buried a deep two with 6:34 to play to pull the Maroon & Gold to within 21 (64-43) but that would prove to be as close as the Ramblers would get for the remainder of the game. The Hurricanes answered with the game's next nine points, the final two of which came off of a Motley steal and Thomas layup, to open up their largest lead of the day (72-43) en route to a 77-50 victory.

Manuel (11 points) and Johnson (10 points) both scored in double figures on a tough day on the offensive end for Loyola that saw the Ramblers shoot only 31% from the field. Wheeler finished just two points shy of her first double-double, coming away with 10 caroms to go along with eight points. Motley and Thomas led the attack for Miami, each finishing with 17 points.

Loyola will look to get back on track when it hosts Central Michigan on Wednesday evening. Tip-off against the Chippewas is scheduled for 6 p.m. from inside Gentile Arena.