Box Score (PDF)

In Short…
Abby O'Connor scored a career-high 24 points and Loyola University Chicago shot 48.7 percent (19-of-39) from the field to earn a 62-59 win over Illinois State this afternoon at Gentile Arena.  With the win, the Ramblers improve to 3-12 on the year (1-3 MVC), while the Redbirds slip to 6-8 (0-3 MVC).
 
How It Happened
O'Connor and Jessica Cerda got Loyola off to a flying start, both connecting from beyond the three-point arc to give the Ramblers an early 6-2 edge with a minute gone.  Following a layup from Katie Salmon that stretched the margin to 8-2, Illinois State answered back with a 6-0 spurt that was capped off by a Viria Livingston three to pull even at 8-8.  Another Cerda trey shortly after gave Loyola the lead back for good in the opening frame as the Ramblers opened up a 15-11 advantage. 
 
O'Connor converted inside 21 seconds into the second quarter as Loyola kept its foot on the gas, widening the gap to 23-11 after two makes at the free throw line by Ellie Rice at the 7:48 mark.  Illinois State would ratchet up its pressure on the defensive end of the floor and began to chip away as the quarter progressed.  Back-to-back buckets from Megan Talbot in the dying stages of the half pulled the Redbirds to within 26-22 at halftime.
 
Hannah Green, who was held scoreless in the first half, caught fire from distance coming out of the locker room, connecting on four threes in the opening 4:23 of the third quarter, the last of which gave Illinois State a slim 36-35 lead.  Cerda answered with a three of her own with 3:25 remaining to put Loyola back on top, 38-37, before a Simone Goods bucket with time winding down gave visitors a 40-38 edge.
 
Much like in the first quarter, Loyola heated up from distance to open the final frame as threes from Salmon and O'Connor staked the Maroon & Gold to a 44-40 lead with only 6:39 to play.  Katrina Beck knocked down a triple of her own just over two minutes later to give Illinois State the lead back, 52-50.  With the Redbirds clinging to a 57-56 edge, O'Connor would go to the line with only 49 seconds remaining and knock down a pair of pressure-packed free throws to push Loyola in front, 58-57.  The Ramblers would come up with a pair of crucial defensive stops before all was said and done as they went on to seal the game from the charity stripe and earn their first Valley in of the season.

Inside The Box Score
- O'Connor was fantastic this afternoon, finishing the day 7-of-14 from the field and a perfect 8-of-8 from the free throw line.  The South Bend, Ind. product, who also collected seven rebounds, scored 17 of her game-high 24 points in the fourth quarter. 
- Cerda joined O'Connor in double figures with 12 points, all of which came from beyond the three-point arc (4-of-6).
- Kailyn Strawbridge handed out a season-high seven assists to go along with four steals.
- The Ramblers knocked down eight triples in the victory, finishing two off of their single-game season high of 10 (Dec. 6 vs. Northern Illinois).
- Loyola also turned in a strong showing at the charity stripe, going 16-of-19 (84.2 percent) from the free throw line.  That mark included a perfect 12-of-12 effort in the fourth quarter.
- Green paced the Illinois State attack with 18 points.
 
Up Next
Loyola opens up a three-game road swing on Friday evening when it visits the Athletics-Recreation Center to take on Valparaiso at 7 p.m.