Box Score

In Short…
In a game where both teams shot under 40 percent, Loyola University Chicago battled its way to a 62-59 win over Illinois State (10-9, 3-5 MVC) this evening at Gentile Arena.  Tonight's victory moves the Ramblers back above the .500 mark on the year at 10-9 overall and puts the Maroon & Gold in a tie for fourth place in the Missouri Valley Conference standings at 4-4.
 
How It Happened
Loyola was forced to fight its way through an early cold spell on the offensive end.  Allison Day's bucket at the 5:05 mark snapped a 4:55 scoreless drought, bringing the Ramblers within five at 7-2.  Day again converted inside with 1:09 remaining, finishing off a conventional three-point play that trimmed the deficit to 9-8 before consecutive scores to end the quarter from Simone Goods and Katrina Beck extended the Illinois State lead to 13-8.
 
TeTe Maggett knocked down a mid-range jumper just over two minutes into the second frame to push the Redbirds' lead to 15-8.  An Alexis Meyer layup shortly after sparked an 11-0 Rambler run, capped off by a pair of Tiara Wallace triples, that vaulted Loyola on top, 19-15, as the Maroon & Gold ultimately took a 21-19 edge into halftime.
 
Following a Beck layup that knotted the score at 21-21 early on in the third quarter, two Ellie Rice threes bookended a 9-0 Loyola surge that put the hosts up 30-21 and forced an Illinois State timeout with 6:57 to play.  The Redbirds would claw back within four, 30-26, before Loyola again responded, pushing its lead to 12 (40-28) after an Abby O'Connor old-fashioned three-point play.  Illinois State managed to hang around, closing the gap to 46-39 heading to the fourth quarter.
 
Rice's fourth and final trey of the evening with only 3:31 to play in regulation gave Loyola its largest lead of the night, 55-41.  With the margin sitting at 58-47 following a pair of O'Connor free throws at the 1:09 mark, the visitors looked to mount a furious comeback, closing to within only two, 61-59, with seven seconds remaining.  That proved to be as close as Illinois State could get, as, following a Wallace split at the charity stripe, Maggett's desperation three was off the mark, securing Loyola's tenth win of the season.
 
Inside The Box Score
- Tonight's victory was Loyola's fifth straight over Illinois State in Rogers Park.
- Despite shooting only 35.8 percent (19-of-53) from the field, the Ramblers held Illinois State to a 36.1 percent (22-of-61) clip and forced 17 Redbird turnovers, cashing in for 20 points off of them.
- Rice paced a balanced Loyola attack with 18 points (5-12 FGs, 4-5 3FGs, 4-6 FTs), finishing one point shy of her season high. O'Connor (14 points), Day (13 points) and Wallace (12 points) also reached double figures.
- Wallace collected a game-high 10 rebounds en route to her third double-double of the season, while Day was active on both ends, handing out a season-high five assists to go along with seven rebounds, two blocks and a steal.
- Maggett led all scorers with 24 points and ripped down 12 rebounds.
 
Up Next
Loyola returns to Gentile Arena on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. to host Bradley on "Alumni Day".