In Short…
Freshman Sitori Tanin scored a team-high 16 points in her collegiate debut to pace a group of four Ramblers in double figures as Loyola University Chicago picked up a 70-57 victory over Chicago State in the regular-season opener for both teams this afternoon inside the Jones Convocation Center in Chicago, Ill.
 
How It Happened
Both teams struggled from the field at the onset, with Loyola opening up an 8-4 edge following a Tanin layup at the 3:34 mark.  Back-to-back makes at the free throw line from Maya Chandler pushed the margin to five, 11-6, but Chicago State closed the opening frame with a 9-0 spurt to charge in front, 15-11.
 
Following a Wynter Webb jumper that pushed the hosts' lead to 17-11, Loyola answered back with eight straight points, the last six of which came on consecutive triples from Anna Brown that staked the Maroon & Gold to a 19-17 advantage.  With the two teams knotted up at 23-23 after a Leilani Moncrease layup, Ellie Rice connected on a pair of attempts from beyond the three-point arc, sparking a half-ending 12-0 surge as Loyola held Chicago State scoreless for the final 6:33 en route to taking a 35-23 lead into the locker room.
 
Loyola kept its foot on the gas coming out of halftime, with scores on consecutive trips by Chandler and Rice, respectively, pushing the Rambler lead to 39-23 with just over a minute gone in the third quarter.  Chicago State pulled back within 40-27 on a two Christina Britter free throws at the 6:24 mark, but Loyola responded back with 12 of the game's next 13 points, six of which came from Chandler, to take their largest lead of the afternoon, 52-28, with 2:33 to play in the frame. 
 
Chicago State looked to mount a late comeback in the game's closing minutes, but was only able to close within 13 as Loyola extended its win streak over the Cougars to 10 and picked up a season-opening victory for the second time in as many years.
 
Inside The Box Score
- Tanin led the Loyola attack with 16 points (5-9 FGs, 6-9 FTs).  The Middleton, Wis. native also added six rebounds, two assists, a block, and three steals.
- Rice (6-10 FGs, 2-3 3FGs) and Chandler (4-9 FGs, 6-6 FTs) finished with 14 points apiece, with Rice ripping down 10 rebounds to secure her first career double-double.
- Brown provided Loyola with a lift off the bench, knocking down four threes as part of a 12-point effort (4-9 FGs, 4-8 3FGs).
- Loyola held Chicago State to just 39.7 percent (23-of-58) from the field on the afternoon.  Last season, the Ramblers were 11-2 (.846) when limiting their opponents to under 40 percent efficiency.
- Nadia Thorman-McKey finished with a game-high 19 points (9-16 FGs, 1-2 FTs) to lead Chicago State.
 
Up Next
Loyola is scheduled to battle No. 19/19 DePaul on Sunday, December 13.  A game location and tip-off time are still to be announced.