Box Score

In Short…
Abby O'Connor poured in a game-high 22 points as Loyola University Chicago cruised to a 71-51 win over Evansville (3-21, 1-12 MVC) this afternoon at the Meeks Family Fieldhouse in Evansville, Ind.  Today's victory pushes the Ramblers back to .500 on the season at 12-12 overall (6-7 MVC).
 
How It Happened
O'Connor and Allison Day each connected on jumpers in the game's opening minutes to put Loyola in front, 4-2.  A Janae Gonzales three stretched the margin to five, 9-5, just before the midway point of the first quarter.  With the Loyola lead sitting at 13-9, Marley Miller knocked down a three of her own to spark a quarter-ending 7-0 run that put Evansville back on top, 16-13.
 
Loyola tightened up on the defensive end as the first half wore on, holding the hosts to just 2-of-15 (13.3 percent) shooting in the second frame.  Another mid-range jumper from Day reclaimed the lead for the Maroon & Gold, 17-16, with 90 seconds gone.  O'Connor finished the half with a surge, scoring eight of Loyola's last 10 points to send the Ramblers racing into the locker room up, 31-20.
 
Evansville would chip its deficit down to nine on a pair of separate occasions early on in the third quarter.  O'Connor pushed the lead back into double digits for good at the 7:52 mark, connecting on a fade away jumper in the paint to stretch the gap to 35-24.  A second-chance score from Alexis Meyer that was followed by a Maya Dunson three from the top of the key opened up a 46-30 edge with 2:06 to play.  Evansville would get no closer than 11 the rest of the way as Loyola completed a weekend sweep in The Hoosier State.
 
Inside The Box Score
- As was the case on Friday's victory at Indiana State, O'Connor spearheaded the Loyola attack. The sophomore forward finished 9-of-15 from the field, including a 4-of-7 mark from beyond the three-point arc, en route to reaching the 20-point mark for the third time this season.  She also chipped in seven rebounds, an assist and a block.  O'Connor averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in Loyola's two wins this weekend.
- Both Ellie Rice (9 points, 10 rebounds) and Day (8 points, 7 rebounds) flirted with double-doubles, with Rice also handing out four assists.
- Tiara Wallace dished out a game-high six helpers in addition to eight points, three rebounds and three steals.
- For the second time in as many games, Loyola again dominated on the glass, outrebounding the Purple Aces by a 53-30 margin and cashing in for 14 second-chance points.
- All 10 Ramblers who saw action today scored.
- Brooke Bishop scored 16 points to lead Evansville. 
 
Up Next
Loyola opens up its final homestand on Friday evening when it hosts Southern Illinois at 7 p.m. inside Gentile Arena.