EVANSTON, Ill. – The Loyola University Chicago women's basketball team led wire-to-wire in its 73-68 takedown of Northwestern Wednesday at Welsh-Ryan Arena. The win marked the Ramblers' first-ever against their crosstown foes, snapping a 25-game losing streak to the Wildcats.

Sam Galanopoulos sniffed a double-double with a game-high 20 points and nine assists while Alyssa Fisher added 19, one shy of her season-high. Sophia Nolan, the third Rambler in double-digits, added 10 points.

"Unbelievably proud of our of our execution, of our game plan," said head Loyola Chicago coach Allison Guth. "I think we stepped away from DePaul as a team and again, we're so programmatic and the details of areas of improvements we need. We knew we needed to put a complete game together of 40 minutes because we've been struggling in strides of games and runs of games. I thought that for the most part, we executed both our ball screen coverage and our post defensive concepts against a very good Northwestern team. I thought that the confidence our kids showed down the stretch meant a lot to me - they were able to get to the finish line and celebrate, especially after some losses this season,"

How it Happened
After Ali Berg scored the first buck of the game - a driving layup in the paint - Loyola Chicago (3-4) raced out to an 11-6 lead with 5:59 left in the first quarter. The 'Blers kept the hot hand with a 10-0 run through the next five minutes of play. Emma Nolan's jumper at 1:48 made the score 21-6 as Loyola shot the ball 44-percent (8-18) through the first 10 minutes.

In the second quarter, the Ramblers were just as efficient on the offensive side of the court, going 7-16 (44-percent) from the field and 3-7 (43-percent) from long range.

With a 38-25 lead at halftime, the Wildcats (3-4) started the second half with a layup and a 3-pointer to cut into Lotola's advantage, However, the Ramblers took off on a 10-4 run and stretched their lead back to 48-34 with under five to go in the frame.

With the Wildcats inching closer in the fourth quarter, the home team came within one point (56-55) after an 8-2 Northwestern run, but Loyola Chicago never let them gain control. NU began fouling with Loyola up, 66-64, and one minute left in the game. The Ramblers held steady at the charity stripe, sinking five of their final seven attempts to win the game, 73-68.  

Notes

• Guth, a former assistant under head NU coach, Joe McKeown, logged a win over her former boss.
• Sharing the ball effectively, nine Ramblers scored in the win.
• Loyola outrebounded the 'Cats, 34-25.
• The team shot it 46-percent (26-57) from the field, its best offensive outing of the year.
• Loyola turned 16 NU turnovers into 24 points.
• The squad scored 34 points in the paint compared to Northwestern's 22.
• Galanopoulos' 20 points marks her fourth-straight game in double-figures. Her nine assists were a career-high.
• Fisher, one point shy of a season-best, scored 19 points in the win. She added three assists and a steal.
• Berg tallied a season-high six rebounds to lead the Ramblers. She scored six points and had two assists as well.
• Coming off the bench, Sophia Nolan garnered 10 points, a season-high.
• Thoranna Kika Hodge-Carr had five points and five boards.

Up Next
The Ramblers have a few days off before action ramps back up inside Gentile Arena. This Saturday (Nov. 2), Loyola will play host to Eastern Illinois at noon. The game will air live on ESPN+.