In Short…
Led by a balanced attack that featured five players to score in double figures, Loyola University Chicago cruised to a 98-53 victory over Chicago State (0-5) this evening at the Jones Convocation Center in Chicago, Ill.  The Ramblers are now a perfect 4-0 on the year, a mark that equals the best start through four games in program history.
 
How It Happened
After a back and forth start that saw the hosts hold their own during the game's early minutes, Janae Gonzales connected from beyond the three-point arc to spark a 17-0 Rambler run that included nine points from Sam Galanopoulos, as the Maroon & Gold opened up a commanding 25-7 lead with 2:40 to play in the first quarter.  Chicago State would chip the Loyola lead down to 25-13 following consecutive threes from Bethany Carstens, but another Galanopoulos bucket and two Alexis Meyer free throws upped the margin to 29-13 after the opening 10 minutes.
 
Loyola kept its foot on the gas in the second quarter, with back-to-back Gonzales triples upping the gap to 41-14 at the 6:40 mark.  Anna Brown joined the three-point party just under three minutes later, draining a deep trey to extend the lead to 46-16.  Meyer went on to add the half's final six points as Loyola raced into halftime with a 56-21 advantage. 
 
The second half followed a similar script to that of the first, with Loyola continuing to impose its will.  Abby O'Connor finished inside with three minutes gone in the third quarter to open a 12-2 Loyola surge, capped off by a Maya Dunson three, that put the Ramblers up by a count of 72-27 with 2:54 remaining in the frame.  Chicago State was never able to make a dent in the Loyola lead for the remainder of the evening, as the Ramblers closed out an emphatic road win.
 
Inside The Box Score
- Allison Day (7-9 FGs, 2-4 FTs) and Brown (4-4 FGs, 4-4 3FGs, 4-5 FTs) led the Rambler attack on the night with 16 points apiece. 
- Meyer recorded her first collegiate double-double, finishing with 14 points (4-12 FGs, 6-6 FTs) and 10 rebounds, both of which are career-high marks.
- Galanopoulos flirted with only the program's second triple-double, adding 13 points (6-9 FGs, 1-2 3FGs), eight rebounds, and eight assists.
- O'Connor chipped in 12 points (5-8 FGs, 2-2 FTs), reaching double figures in scoring for an 18^th consecutive game.
- Led by Galanopoulos' eight helpers, Loyola finished the night with 31 assists, a mark that ties for second on the program's single-game record board in the category.
- For the second time in three games, Loyola shot above 50 percent, operating at a 55.2 percent (37-of-67) rate on the night.
- Kourtney Crane paced Chicago State with 16 points as the Cougars were held to just above a 36 percent (21-of-58) clip from the field.
 
Up Next
Loyola will look to match its best overall start in program history on Friday, November 22 when it battles Kansas City at 11 a.m. in Kansas City, Mo.