GAME INFORMATION
Final Score: Loyola 57, Illinois State 41
Records: Loyola (9-9, 5-2 MVC); Illinois State (4-14, 2-5 MVC)
Location: Redbird Arena -- Normal, Ill.
Stats: Box Score | Season Stats

In Short...
Three Ramblers scored in double figures, led by Taylor Johnson's game-high 16 points, as Loyola downed in-state rival Illinois State, 57-41, this afternoon inside Redbird Arena in Normal, Ill. With the win, the Ramblers move back to the .500 mark at 9-9 overall (5-2 Missouri Valley), while the Redbirds slip to 4-14 (2-5 Missouri Valley).

How It Happened
Offense was tough to come by for both teams early on. Johnson put the Ramblers on the board, 5-2, when she knocked down a jumper with just over three minutes gone after the hosts scored the game's first five points. Buckets from Grace Goodhart and Dakota Vann leveled things up at 10-10 before a split at the free throw line by Taylor Manuel gave Loyola a slim 11-10 edge at the end of the first quarter.

The Maroon & Gold came out firing to begin the second quarter. A layup from Manuel ignited a 13-0 run to begin the frame that was capped off by a Goodhart triple to make it 24-10 at the 5:31 mark. An Octavia Crump layup seconds later snapped an 8:15 scoring drought for the hosts to cut the margin back down to 12 (24-12). The Redbirds clawed to within four, 26-22, on a pair of Brechelle Beachum free throws but Johnson dashed through the lane and converted on a layup to send Loyola into the locker room up six, 28-22, at the break.

Illinois State refused to go away coming out of halftime. A Shakeela Fowler layup saw the Redbirds slice the Rambler lead down to two, 28-26, with 7:37 to go. Two Manuel makes from the charity stripe and another Goodhart three-point basket saw Loyola extend the lead back out to seven, 33-26. A layup from Manuel and a Johnson buzzer beater in the final minute of the quarter saw the margin balloon to 12, 41-29, heading to the fourth.

Loyola kept its foot on the gas to begin the fourth quarter as back-to-back scores from Nieka Wheeler upped the advantage to 16 (47-31) with 8:00 to play. Illinois State would get no closer than 14 for the remainder of the afternoon as the Ramblers coasted to their first win in Normal in program history.

Inside The Box Score
- Johnson was joined in double figures on the afternoon by Manuel (13 points) and Wheeler (10 points).
- Wheeler also collected eight rebounds, sharing the team lead in the category with Becca Smith and Vann, as she finished just two caroms shy of her second career double-double.
- Vann came close to only the second triple-double in program history, chipping in eight points and six assists to go along with her rebounding effort.
- Loyola turned in a sparkling defensive effort, holding the Redbirds to only 22% shooting (12-of-54) from the field. That's the lowest mark for an opposing team against the Ramblers since they held Bradley to a 27% clip last season.
- After dropping its first eight meetings with Illinois State, Loyola has now won back-to-back contests against its neighbor to the south.

Up Next
Loyola returns to the friendly confines of Gentile Arena at the end of the week to open up a four-game homestand. A clash with current Valley leader Northern Iowa opens up the stretch on Friday evening at 7 p.m.