Box Score (PDF)

In Short…
Loyola University Chicago used a suffocating showing on the defensive end of the floor to help pick up a 46-28 victory over Chicago State this evening at the Jones Convocation Center on Chicago's South Side.  The win sees the Ramblers improve to 1-5 on the year, while the Cougars fall to 0-8. 
 
How It Happened
Loyola answered an early score by Ines Mata Boix with back-to-back buckets from Katie Salmon and a three-pointer by Jessica Cerda to take a 7-2 lead with just over four minutes gone.  Offense would prove to be at a premium going forward in the opening frame as Chicago State battled back to knot the score up at 9-9 at the end of the first quarter.
 
Following a Destiny Harris post score that gave the hosts a slim 15-13 lead, a pair of Cerda triples bookended a 10-0 spurt that saw the Ramblers surge in front, 23-15, at the 2:16 mark.  Tyeshia Bowers connected on a three of her own to bring an end to the Cougars' scoring drought as Loyola took a 23-18 lead into halftime.
 
The Ramblers turned in a dominant third-quarter performance to put the game out of reach.  Four quick points from Abby O'Connor pushed the margin to nine, 27-18, with 8:10 remaining.  Another Cerda three just over a minute later would bring the lead into double digits, 31-20, as Loyola, which held Chicago State without a made field goal until the dying seconds of the quarter, cruised to the final buzzer.
 
Inside The Box Score
- Loyola turned in unquestionably its top defensive performance of the season this evening, holding the Cougars to a 17% clip (10-of-59) from the field.  In particular, Loyola limited the Cougars to only 10% shooting (3-of-30) in the second half, the second lowest mark for an opponent in a single half in program history.
- Cerda finished with a game-high 19 points to lead the Rambler attack on the night.  The Streamwood, Ill. product, who was playing against her former team, knocked down five of her eight attempts from beyond the three-point arc.
- Tiara Wallace was active on both ends of the floor as she finished with a stat line that included four points, 10 rebounds, an assist and two steals.
- Bowers paced the Cougars with 13 points.
 
Up Next
Loyola visits the newly opened Wintrust Arena on Monday for an 11 a.m. matinee against DePaul.