GAME INFORMATION
Final Score (OT): Wichita State 65, Loyola 62
Records: Wichita State (6-18, 3-10 MVC); Loyola (12-12, 8-5 MVC)
Location: Koch Arena -- Wichita, Kan.
Stats: Box Score | Season Stats

In Short...
Loyola dropped its second overtime game in as many contests as it fell to Wichita State this afternoon by a final count of 65-62 at Koch Arena in Wichita, Kan. The Shockers improve to 6-18 overall (3-10 Missouri Valley) with the win, while the Ramblers slip back to the .500 mark at 12-12 (8-5 Missouri Valley).

How It Happened
Bolstered by an old-fashioned three-point play from Taylor Johnson just 17 seconds into the game, Loyola raced out to an early 7-0 lead, prompting a Wichita State timeout. The hosts ripped off a run of their own shortly after, answering back with nine straight points to take a 9-7 lead with 4:56 to go. Back-to-back buckets from Taylor Manuel and Nieka Wheeler edged Loyola back in front, 11-9, at the four-minute mark before the Shockers scored the final seven points of the quarter to open up a five-point lead, 16-11, after one.

Wichita State remained in front until five straight points from Grace Goodhart evened the game up at 22 all with 5:09 to go in the second quarter. Rangie Bessard responded with six of the frame's final eight points to send the Shockers into the locker room with a 28-24 advantage.

A Diamond Lockhart three with 8:53 to go in the pushed the Shocker lead to five, 31-26. Loyola continued to battle as the quarter progressed, cutting the lead to one on a pair of separate occasions, but was unable to completely erase its deficit. Dakota Vann's layup with only 19 seconds remaining reduced the Wichita State lead to one possession, 44-42, heading to the fourth quarter.

The Shockers continued to keep Loyola at bay, extending the lead out to six points, 48-42, on another Lockhart score at the 8:21 mark. Wheeler knotted the game up at 52 apiece when she knocked down her only triple of the afternoon just over three minutes later. The Independence, Mo. product converted on a three-point play with 2:01 to go to put Loyola on top, 57-54, before TaQuandra Mike drained a deep triple to even things up at 57-57 with 1:38 to go. Both teams had opportunities to end the game in regulation but neither was able to sink the deciding bucket, meaning overtime would be needed to decide a winner.

A layup by Johnson quickly saw Loyola jump in front, 59-57, to begin the extra session. A split at the charity stripe by Wheeler upped the lead to three, 60-57, with 4:02 to go. Following a 4-0 spurt by the hosts that put the Shockers back in front, 61-60, Vann finished off a great feed from Goodhart to give Loyola a 62-61 lead. Mike gave the Shockers the lead back, 63-62, with 46 seconds remaining. After two Bessard free throws with five seconds to go stretched the lead to margin to three, 65-62, Loyola had one final chance to knot the game back up but was unable to get a shot off before time expired.

Inside The Box Score
- Wheeler turned in another strong performance to lead the Ramblers on the offensive end of the floor, finishing with 19 points on 8-of-14 shooting.
- Manuel and Johnson each chipped in 10 points as well, making this only the third game all season that Loyola has dropped when the three all reach double figures in scoring.
- Manuel's scoring output from today now has the redshirt junior just nine points shy of becoming the 24th player in program history to reach the 1,000 career point mark.
- Bessard led all scorers with a 26 points to go along with nine rebounds.
- Loyola struggled mightily from the free throw line all afternoon, going only 7-of-15 (47%).
- With today's result, Loyola remains winless at Koch Arena in four tries.

Up Next
Loyola returns home to Gentile Arena on Friday evening when it hosts in-state rival Illinois State. Tip-off from Rogers Park is scheduled for 7 p.m.