CHICAGO - The Loyola University Chicago women's basketball team takes on its second straight crosstown foe this week as the Ramblers prepare for DePaul this Wednesday (Nov. 26). Tip-off from Wintrust Arena is set for 11 a.m. on ESPN+.

QUICK HITS

• The Ramblers face their second consecutive crosstown opponent Wednesday after recently taking on UIC. Loyola Chicago will also meet Northwestern on Dec. 18.
• Loyola fell 68–54 at UIC after a slow start and early scoring drought. The Ramblers shot 0-for-10 from three in the first half and trailed 33–19 at halftime.
• LUC grabbed 18 offensive rebounds and got 12 bench points.
• Loyola forced 17 turnovers and turned them into 14 points.
• Kendall Hendrix set career highs with eight rebounds and four assists.
• Alex-Anne Bessette posted a career-high 22 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter.
• Loyola outscored UIC 20–16 in the fourth and held a 34–24 edge in points in the paint.
• Brooklyn Vaughn scored 11 points with eight rebounds, reaching double figures for the third straight game. Loyola won the rebounding battle for the second time this season (34-33).
• The sophomore currently ranks 10th in the Atlantic 10 with 6.5 boards per game. Clara Djoko isn't far behind in 19th with 5.2.
• Bessette and Roisin Grandberry anchor Loyola's interior defense, ranking 13th and 14th in the conference with 0.8 blocks per game.
• Bessette also has a knack for swiping the ball from foes - she sits 20th in steals per game (1.7).
• On offense, Kira Chivers ranks No. 24 in assists per game with 2.2 per game.
• Just 11.1 miles separate Gentile Arena and Wintrust Arena.
• Loyola's furthest road trip of its non-conference slate was against No. 1 UConn in Storrs. LUC's other non-con matchups are against teams within 85 miles of Rogers Park.

2025-26 RAMBLER BITES

• The Ramblers aim to improve on last season's 13-17 ledger as Head Coach Allison Guth enters her fourth season at the helm.
• Guth compiled a 34–57 record over her first three seasons at LUC and enters 2025–26 with a 133–131 career mark after beginning her head-coaching tenure at Yale.
• Loyola Chicago returns eight letterwinners from the 204-25 roster. Additionally, Guth added five newcomers during the offseason.
• Over the summer, former Ramblers Thoranna Kika Hodge-Carr (Valur Körfubolti) and Naelle Bernard (AS Aulnoye Basket) signed professional contracts overseas.
• Five Ramblers have turned professional under Head Coach Allison Guth.
• Since 2010, nine Ramblers have gone on to sign professional contracts: Hodge-Carr, Bernard, Sam Galanopoulos, Emma Nolan, Sophia Nolan, Troy Hambric, Taylor Manuel, Bre Hampton-Bey, and Allison Day.

SCOUTING THE DEPAUL BLUE DEMONS

• Head Coach Jill Pizzotti is in her second season leading DePaul women's basketball, taking over for legendary coach Doug Bruno — who, notably, once served as an assistant on the Loyola Chicago men's staff in the 80s under Gene Sullivan.
• Pizzotti is 15-23 (.395) thus far in her tenure but has a career record of 128-190 (.403).
• DePaul is 2-4 this season with wins over Valparaiso and Grambling State.
• Two Blue Demons enter Wednesday averaging double figure scoring: Natiah Nelson (12.7) and Kate Novik (16.5)
• Nelson also leads the team in rebounding with 7.5 boards per game.
• DePaul takes care of the ball effectively, ranking 27th in the nation in assist/turnover ratio (1.36) and 20th in turnover margin (14.3).
• Likewise, the Blue Demons rank 24th in assists per game (19.5).

ALL-TIME AGAINST THE BLUE DEMONS

• The Blue Demons are one of Loyola's longest tenured opponents as the two teams have met 52 times prior to Wednesday.
• DePaul leads the series, 42-10.
• The Ramblers are searching for their first win over DePaul since Dec. 21, 2015. DePaul has won the last nine meetings.
• Most recently, Loyola fell to DePaul, 75-60, on Nov. 12, 2024.
• Loyola Chicago had three score in double figures and led the Blue Demons after the first quarter, but a couldn't overcome the visitors in the second half.
• Loyola's bench outscored DePaul's, 14-6.
• Loyola ended the night 22-of-46 (48-percent) from the field.

LAST TIME OUT

• Loyola fell 68–54 at UIC after struggling early and playing from behind all afternoon. The Flames controlled the first half, building a 33–19 lead behind efficient shooting and dominance in the paint. Loyola found more rhythm after halftime—largely through Alex-Anne Bessette's 22-point performance—but UIC consistently answered, shooting nearly 48 percent from the field and getting a 16-point, 10-rebound double-double from Julia Coleman. Loyola cut the deficit to 11 multiple times in the fourth quarter, but poor three-point shooting (2-for-20) and a 14-turnover outing prevented a full comeback. UIC maintained control late to secure the win.

ATLANTIC 10 PRESEASON POLL

• Richmond is the preseason favorite to win the 2025-26 Atlantic 10 Women's Basketball title, topping the coaches' poll for a second straight year. The Spiders return All-A-10 stars Maggie Doogan and Rachel Ullstrom after a 28-7 season and their first NCAA Tournament win.
• George Mason ranks second, followed by Davidson, Rhode Island, and Dayton. Saint Joseph's, VCU, Duquesne, Saint Louis, and George Washington complete the top 10. Fordham, La Salle, Loyola Chicago, and St. Bonaventure round out the poll.
• Doogan, Ullstrom, George Mason's Zahirah Walton and Kennedy Harris, and VCU's Mary-Anna Asare headline the Preseason All-Conference First Team.
• RETURNING RAMBLERS
• Loyola Chicago returns eight from the 2024-25 roster: Yasmyn Palmer, Roisin Grandberry, Alexa Kinas, Audrey Deptula, Rosalie Mercille, Kendall Hendrix, Kira Chivers, and Brooklyn Vaughn.
• Key returners include senior point guard Kira Chivers who started 25 of 28 games in 2024–25, leading Loyola in steals per game (1.1) and ranking 16th in the A-10 in assists (2.9), with the league's 10th-best assist-to-turnover ratio (1.3). She scored in double figures six times, highlighted by a career-high 17 points and five rebounds vs. Northwestern, and delivered a season-best seven assists at Eastern Illinois.
• Another key returner, junior guard Rosalie Mercille, appeared in 20 games in 2024–25, returning from injury to contribute nine points in the Senior Day win vs. Saint Louis. She posted double-digit scoring twice, including 11 points at Eastern Illinois, and matched a season-high four rebounds three times. Mercille also recorded three assists in three straight games early in the season.
• Point guard Alexa Kinas played in 28 games with five starts as a freshman in 2024–25, logging the most minutes among Loyola newcomers. She shot .443 from the field, finishing second on the team in FG percentage, and tied for second in steals (29). Kinas scored seven points in her debut, posted a season-high 15 points vs. Richmond, and grabbed a season-best six rebounds twice.

FRESH FACES

• Alex-Anne Bessette is a three-time All-Canadian and AmeriCup silver medalist who helped Team Canada to silver at the 2024 FIBA U18 Women's Americas Championship. The 6-foot-2 Quebec City native led her prep team to the 2025 OSBA title and earned Second Team All-Star honors. She played on the elite Kia Nurse EYBL circuit.
• Alexus Mobley arrives as a graduate transfer from Akron after two seasons with the Zips and two at Danville Community College. The Indianapolis native started 38 games at Akron, averaging 9.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. She recorded career highs of 30 points and 17 rebounds during the 2024-25 season.
• Daniella Matus is a 1,000-point scorer who averaged 12.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in her final season at Morris Catholic. She helped St. John Vianney win a fourth straight Shore Conference Tournament title and reach the NJSIAA semifinals. Matus earned Morris County Tournament MVP honors, All-Tournament recognition at the John Wall National Christmas Tournament, and multiple all-conference awards, including NJAC First Team. She starred for Team Sharp on the AAU circuit and was a 2025 McDonald's All American Game nominee.
• Nevaeh Dickman is a 6-foot power forward from Fishers, Ind., rated a three-star prospect by 247Sports and ranked No. 6 in Indiana. She earned multiple all-state honors, including IBCA Senior Large School All-State, and HCC First Team All-Conference recognition.
• Clara Djoko, a 6-foot forward from Entzheim, France, transfers from UC Irvine, where she appeared in 55 games over two seasons. She contributed across the stat sheet, highlighted by games with four rebounds at Cal State Bakersfield and three steals in consecutive contests as a freshman.
• Assistant Coach Jasmyne Fogle joins Loyola after roles at Quinnipiac, Putnam Science Academy, and Iona. At Quinnipiac, she led operations, travel, logistics, video, marketing, and student support for three seasons. She previously assisted with coaching, recruiting, and academics at Putnam Science Academy and served as a graduate assistant at Iona. Fogle played collegiately at Franklin Pierce and Post University, earning All-CACC honors in 2018 before completing graduate degrees from Post and Iona.
• Assistant Coach Alyssa Fisher returns to Loyola after beginning her coaching career at Dartmouth, where she helped mentor an All-Ivy performer. As a Rambler in 2023–24, she led the team in threes, free throws, and steals while averaging 13.5 points per game, earning a selection to the WBCA So You Want To Be A Coach program. Fisher previously earned dual bachelor's degrees at St. Francis Brooklyn and an MBA at Loyola.
• Assistant Coach Adam Call arrives from George Washington following a four-year stint that included multiple A-10 Championship wins and development of all-conference and all-defensive selections. His 17-year coaching career includes stops at Eastern Michigan, Stony Brook, Washington, Northwestern, TCU, and Oklahoma, where he contributed to several postseason runs. He holds degrees from Oklahoma and TCU.

BUY TICKETS NOW!
Catch every women's basketball game at Gentile Arena with a season ticket package! Season ticket options include reserved courtside seating for $180/seat and general admission seating for $81/seat. Single-game tickets are $10 each.

Courtside season tickets are the only reserved seats available. Courtside seats are located across from the team benches in front of Sections 108 and 110. The online system will automatically place you in the best courtside seats available. Please contact the Loyola ticket office at (773) 508-9653 to discuss specific seat locations. Click here to purchase. 

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