Box Score

In Short…
Abby O'Connor scored a career-high 31 points as a Loyola University Chicago team that was playing with only eight healthy players dropped a 102-76 decision to No. 20/18 DePaul (9-3) this evening at Gentile Arena.  Tonight's defeat sees the Ramblers wrap up non-conference play at 6-5, marking the program's first winning non-conference record since the 2011-12 campaign.
 
How It Happened
After DePaul rattled off the night's first five points, Loyola began to find its footing, pulling even at 8-8 on O'Connor's second three of the night with 5:41 remaining in the first quarter.  O'Connor scored inside just over a minute later to give the Ramblers their first lead, which would reach four, 12-8, following a Citiana Negatu layup at the 4:04 mark.  With Loyola on top, 14-10, Ashton Millender connected from distance to spark a quarter-ending 7-0 spurt that pushed the Blue Demons back in front, 17-14.
 
Loyola continued to hang tough throughout the majority of the second quarter, with an O'Connor post score off of a find by Maya Dunson trimming the DePaul lead back down to one possession, 22-20, with three minutes gone.  Following a conventional three-point play from Kat Nolan that pulled the Ramblers within four, 27-23, DePaul would hold Loyola without a made field goal for the final 5:11 of the half, stretching its lead to 36-24 at the intermission.
 
O'Connor went right back to work coming out of the locker room, scoring the first five points of the half for the Maroon & Gold, the last three of which again closed the gap to 12, 41-29.  DePaul continued to operate at an efficient clip as the frame wore on, building a 56-35 advantage off of a Lexi Held triple at the 2:54 mark en route to taking a 62-42 lead into the fourth quarter.
 
After seeing the Blue Demons extend the margin to 74-47, Ellie Rice finished off an old-fashioned three-point play that closed the difference to 74-52.  O'Connor officially eclipsed her previous career high with just under four minutes remaining, draining her fourth trey of the night to cut the deficit to 84-62 as DePaul ultimately went on to close out its ninth victory of the season.  
 
Inside The Box Score
- O'Connor turned in a fantastic all-around effort as she became the first Rambler to crack the 30-point mark since Kailyn Strawbridge scored 32 points against Purdue Fort Wayne on November 12, 2017.  The South Bend, Ind. native finished 12-for-19 from the field and knocked down a career-best five three-point field goals as she narrowly missed out on a double-double, grabbing eight rebounds to go along with three assists, a block and a steal.
- Rice enjoyed an impressive night of her own, adding 18 points, 16 of which came in the second half.  She also handed out a career-high six assists. 
- Loyola shot just over 46 percent (27-of-58) from the field, highlighted by a fourth quarter that saw it operate at a torrid 68.8 percent (11-of-16) clip as it poured in 34 points, its most in a frame since the NCAA adopted the quarter format prior to the 2015-16 season.
- Chante Stonewall led DePaul with 14 points, pacing a balanced Blue Demon attack that featured seven players in double figures.
 
Up Next
Loyola will be idle for just over two weeks before it opens Missouri Valley Conference play on Sunday, January 6 when it plays host to Valparaiso at 1 p.m.