Box Score (PDF)

In Short…
Loyola University Chicago nearly erased a 10-point deficit in the closing minutes of regulation but ultimately fell short to visiting Bradley, 59-57, this evening inside Gentile Arena.  With the win, the Braves improve to 8-5 overall (2-0 MVC), while the Ramblers fall to 2-12 (0-3 MVC).
 
How It Happened
Following a three from Katie Salmon that gave Loyola an early 3-2 edge, Bradley erupted for a 13-3 run, punctuated by a Madison Dellamuth triple, to open up a 16-5 lead with 2:32 remaining in the first quarter.  The Maroon & Gold closed the frame with a surge of its own, pulling to within 18-11 after back-to-back makes from Tiara Wallace.
 
The Braves' lead would hover between five and eight points during the middle stages of the second frame.  Scores on consecutive trips by Wallace and Brandi Segars trimmed the margin to four, 26-22, with 3:16 to go in the half.  A second-chance score from Lauren Segars brought Loyola to within two, 28-26, before the visitors closed the second quarter by connecting on three of four attempts from the free throw line to take a 31-26 lead into the intermission.
 
Buckets from Vanessa Markert and Danielle Brewer pushed the Bradley advantage to 35-26 with just over two minutes gone in the third quarter.  With the Braves' lead sitting at 37-30, Abby O'Connor rattled off seven-straight points to knot the game up at 37-37 and force a Bradley timeout at the 2:49 mark.  Bradley would respond, going back out in front by five, 44-39, ahead of another O'Connor bucket that closed the gap to 44-41 at the end of the third quarter.
 
Loyola struggled to make a dent in the Bradley lead for most of the fourth quarter as the Braves stretched the margin to 57-47 on a finish inside by Shunseere Kent with only 3:26 to play.  An Ellie Rice layup ignited the aforementioned late Loyola rally that saw the Ramblers slice the deficit to 58-57 on a corner three by Kailyn Strawbridge with only seven seconds to play.  After a split at the line by Anneke Schlueter, Strawbridge's desperation half-court heave came up short as the Braves escaped with a narrow victory.
 
Inside The Box Score
- O'Connor paced the Rambler attack on the night with 13 points, 11 of which came during the second half, on 6-of-15 shooting to go along with four rebounds and a block.
- Wallace provided a lift on the bench, chipping in a season-high 10 points.
- Kat Nolan turned in the top showing of her young career, finishing with season-high marks in both points (5) and rebound (7).
- Loyola turned in one of its strongest performances of the season on the glass, outrebounding Bradley by a count of 39-32.   
- Brewer led all scorers with 17 points for Bradley.
 
Up Next
Loyola returns to action on Sunday at 1 p.m. when it welcomes Illinois State to Rogers Park.