CHICAGO – The Loyola University Chicago women's basketball team lost a 68-53 decision to Fordham at Gentile Arena Saturday afternoon. The Ramblers were led by Emma Theodorsson's 15 points which matched her season-high for the second-straight game. However, Fordham's 45-percent clip from the field – its highest in the last three games – overpowered the Maroon and Gold  

"We're very disappointed with our performance in this one," said Loyola Chicago Head Coach Allison Guth. "From a mental execution standpoint, we turned the ball over 20 times. At halftime, we had 10 assists and felt like we were making some good decisions despite the turnover issues. However, we came out in the third quarter and didn't value the possession again. I do want to give Fordham credit for their defense and pressure,"

How it Happened
Trailing 11-2, the Ramblers (10-7, 2-4 Atlantic 10) shook off a sluggish start with a commanding 13-0 run to take a 15-11 lead over Fordham (10-6, 4-1 Atlantic 10). The surge featured fancy footwork from Sitori Tanin, who delivered back-to-back layups, and a stellar stretch from Jess Finney, who scored seven consecutive points. Finney's clutch 3-pointer at the 1:46 mark forced Fordham to call a timeout to slow the Ramblers' pace. The Rams capped the first quarter with four points, tying the game at 15-15.

The two teams went back-and-forth in the second frame, but Alexa Kinas, who came off the bench and produced six points through the quarter, provided a spark for the Ramblers. The true freshman entered the game and promptly drilled a long two from the left corner to give LUC a 23-22 edge. Later on defense, Kinas dove for a loose ball, then sprinted down the court to make a steal and finish with a basket, giving Loyola a 28-27 lead. The Rams, however, finished the frame again with four points and led LUC, 32-27, going into halftime.

Fordham started the second half with a 5-0 run to lead Loyola by 12 (39-27), its largest lead up to that point, before the Ramblers found rhythm with a quick 8-0 run which trimmed FU's lead to four (39-35). Theodorsson made two trips to the charity stripe and sunk all four attempts to give Loyola a boost, trailing 45-41.

The Rams put Loyola away in the fourth frame on 7-of-16 (44-percent) shooting while cashing in on a trio of threes. The Ramblers, on the other hand, couldn't overcome their 21-perecnt clip from the floor. Fordham extended its lead to 68-53 as the final buzzer sounded inside Gentile.  
Notes

• Kira Chivers surpassed 50 assists on the season, maintaining the role as the team assist leader and just outside the top-10 for assists within the A-10.
• Naelle Bernard eclipsed 30 3-pointers this season after sinking two today. She's now within the Atlantic 10's top-10 of 3-pointers made.
• Theodorsson tied her season-high of 15 points for the second-straight game. She's scored in double figures in five-straight games.
  • Additionally, she corralled a game-high seven rebounds.
• Loyola dished out 14 assists on 18 made baskets.

Up Next
Action ramps back up for the Ramblers on Wednesday, Jan. 15, as the team travels to George Mason for a 6 p.m. CT tilt. The action will stream live on ESPN+.