In Short…
Loyola University Chicago turned in a sparkling defensive performance as it sprinted past visiting St. Francis (Ill.), 71-27, this evening at Gentile Arena in its lone exhibition game prior to the start of the 2019-20 season.
 
How It Happened
Loyola got off to a fast start, with two Allison Day mid-range buckets provided the bookends to an old-fashioned three-point play from Ellie Rice that saw the Ramblers quickly open up a 7-0 edge with less than 90 seconds gone.  The Maroon & Gold kept their foot on the gas for the remainder of the opening frame, holding St. Francis to just a pair of makes from the field as it built up a 19-6 advantage.
 
Abby O'Connor's second make inside a 2:23 span stretched the gap to 25-6 with 6:13 remaining in the first half.  A Kaitlin Aylward make with just under 6:00 to play would provide the Fighting Saints with their only offensive production of the second quarter, as Loyola went on to finish the half on a 9-0 spurt that pushed the gap to 34-8 at halftime.
 
The Ramblers picked up right where they left off coming out of the intermission.  Jala Johnson provided her first points of the evening from beyond the three-point arc to extend the margin to 45-10 with 5:29 remaining in the third quarter.  St. Francis would get no closer than 26 the rest of the way as Loyola cruised to a comfortable victory.
 
Inside The Box Score
- Loyola was tremendous this evening on the defensive end, limiting a St. Francis team that averaged 63.4 points last season to just 25 percent shooting (13-for-52), a mark highlighted by a dominant second quarter in which the Fighting Saints were held to just 1-of-13 (.077) from the field.
- O'Connor finished with a team-high 15 points (7-13 FGs, 1-1 3FGs) to lead a balanced Loyola attack that saw all 12 Ramblers who played score.
- Tiara Wallace narrowly missed out on a double-double, chipping in nine points (3-4 FGs, 3-4 FTs) and seven assists.
- Alexis Meyer provided a lift off the bench, ripping down a team-best eight rebounds, six of which came on the offensive end, to go along with four points (1-1 FGs, 2-2 FTs).
 
Up Next
Loyola officially raises the curtain on the 2019-20 season on Tuesday, November 5 when it heads to Detroit, Mich. to battle former Horizon League foe Detroit Mercy at 6 p.m. (CT) inside Calihan Hall.