CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (February 4, 2022)
 
In Short…
Allison Day, Sam Galanopoulos, and Sitori Tanin all reached double figures in scoring as Loyola University Chicago saw its brief two-game win streak brought to an end this evening, dropping a 69-56 decision to UNI (14-6, 7-2 MVC) at the McLeod Center.  Following tonight's result, the Ramblers now sit at 12-8 overall and 4-5 in Missouri Valley Conference play.
 
How It Happened
Loyola started fast, jumping out to a 5-1 lead courtesy of a Day post score that was followed by a Maya Chandler three.  UNI responded with an 8-0 surge, bookended by triples from Kam Finley and Bre Gunnels, to go in front, 9-5.  Loyola battled back, taking a 10-9 lead on a pair of Tanin free throws before a Jala Johnson score in the closing minute knotted the Ramblers and Panthers up at 14-14.
 
Galanopoulos knocked down a mid-range jumper to snap a nearly three-minute draught to open the second quarter for the Maroon & Gold, trimming UNI's edge to 18-16.  A Riley Blackwell corner three at the 4:13 mark saw Loyola battle back in front, 23-21, before the Panthers rattled off dashed back in front following an 8-0 run as they hosts took a 31-25 lead into halftime.
 
The Ramblers came out firing in the second half, with Galanopoulos connecting from outside ahead of a Chandler jumper that made it a one-point game, 31-30, with less than 90 seconds gone.  Despite holding UNI to just 25 percent (4-for-16) from the field in the third quarter, UNI did its damage from the free throw line, hitting on all eight of its attempts from the charity stripe to open up a 47-39 advantage.
 
Rucker came out attacking to begin the final frame, converting on consecutive trips to push the UNI lead to 51-39 and prompt a Loyola timeout.  Waukee, Iowa native Anna Brown knocked down her second three of the evening with just over eight minutes remaining to cut the lead back down to single digits, 51-42.  Day kept the comeback hopes alive, scoring the Ramblers' next five points, the final three of which came from outside, to reduce the gap to six, 53-47, with 7:27 to play in regulation.  That proved to be as close as Loyola would get unfortunately, as UNI gradually stretched its lead back into double figures en route to victory.
 
Inside The Box Score
- Day finished with a team-high 14 points (6-12 FGs, 1-2 3FGs, 1-2 FTs) and four rebounds.
- Galanopoulos added 11 points (4-9 FGs, 1-3 3FGs, 2-2 FTs), while Tanin came off the bench to match her junior counterpart with 11 points (4-12 FGs, 3-4 FTs) of her own in addition to collecting six rebounds.
- Chandler handed out a team-high four assists to go along with seven points (2-9 FGs, 1-4 3FGs, 2-2 FTs) and three rebounds.
- Finley (5-10 FGs, 1-2 3FGs, 3-4 FTs) and Emerson Green (4-10 FGs, 6-6 FTs) led UNI with 14 points apiece.
 
Up Next
Loyola wraps up its two-game road swing through the Hawkeye State on Sunday afternoon with a 2 p.m. matchup against Drake inside the Knapp Center in Des Moines, Iowa.