CHICAGO – The Loyola University Chicago women's basketball team's third and fourth-quarter surges weren't enough as the Ramblers fell, 61-52, to George Mason Saturday afternoon inside Gentile Arena. Loyola Chicago shot the ball at a 43-percent clip (20-for-47) while the Ramblers' defense held George Mason to 38-percent (21-for-56). For the third time this season, four Ramblers scored in double-digits.

"Congratulations to George Mason. They have a fantastic team and [George Mason Head Coach] Vanessa (Blair-Lewis), in year three, has done a tremendous job," said Loyola Head Coach Allison Guth. "Where we were good tonight was defending and rebounding. I thought we held a team, who averages 74 points per game, to under 60 If we don't foul at the end there. But we struggled scoring the ball,"

How it Happened
Thoranna Kika Hodge-Carr scored the Ramblers' (11-11, 5-6 Atlantic 10) first bucket at 8:35 in the first quarter but GMU (18-3, 9-1 Atlantic 10) opened play on a 9-2 run after nine Loyola turnovers. LUC cut into the deficit after Emma Nolan dished the ball to Sam Galanopoulos for a Rambler bucket to make the score 9-4. Then, Sitori Tanin brought down a big rebound after a George Mason miss and went coast-to-coast for a reverse layup, making it a three-point affair (9-6) with under three minutes left in the frame.

After the Patriots started the second quarter on a 6-0 run to give themselves a 12-point edge (20-8), the Ramblers cut their lead back down to single digits thanks to back-to-back layups from Galanopoulos and Emma Nolan. Two GMU threes and a layup though re-extended its lead to 15 points (28-13), its largest of the day.

With its best quarter shooting percentage of the game (62-percent, 8-for-13), the Ramblers came out of the second-half gates swinging and went an 8-0 run after four-straight made field goals. Tanin's layup at the 5:11 mark helped Loyola Chicago come within seven points (32-25) of George Mason, its smallest deficit since the first quarter.

Opening the fourth quarter on a 7-2 run, LUC withered the Patriots lead down to six points (44-38) after Galanopoulos sunk a pair at the charity stripe with 8:44 to play. The two teams battled back-and-forth, combining for 40 points through the final 10 minutes. Tanin's layup in the paint at the 1:07 mark kept Loyola within striking distance at 56-49, GMU. However, the Patriots ended the game five-for-six at the free throw line to seal its 61-52 road win.

Notes

• Loyola's 36 rebounds tied its 2023-24 conference high. With GMU gathering 30 boards, Loyola has out-rebounded back-to-back foes for the second time this season.
• LUC scored 16 points off 18 George Mason turnovers.
• Making her 50th career start, Tanin's 10 Points were her 41st career double-digit scoring game and her 12th this season.
• Ali Berg's game-high nine rebounds put her career total over 300 (304). Berg's two assists tied her season-high.
• Alyssa Fisher's 10 points were her 66th career double-digit scoring game and her 15th of the season. Her four steals tied her season-high.
• Galanopoulos' 13 points were her 46th career double-digit scoring game and her 15th of the season.
• Sophia Nolan's three steals tied her career-high.
• Hodge-Carr's 11 points were her 18th career double-digit scoring game and her third of the season.

Up Next
The Ramblers hit the road next week as they take on La Salle Thursday (Feb. 8) in Philly. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. CT on ESPN+.