CHICAGO – Loyola Chicago put an exclamation mark on its regular season Saturday with a thrilling 63-62 victory over Saint Louis on Senior Day at Gentile Arena. Senior captain Sitori Tanin used a double-double to help the Ramblers secure the win.

"I couldn't be prouder of this team and the way they sent their seniors out," said Loyola Chicago Head Coach Allison Guth. "This one is especially meaningful for the player sitting next to me [Sitori Tanin]—our captain, leader, and mentor—who has given everything to this program. She's wanted more wins, especially during some tough stretches, and I think basketball has revealed her true character. She has remained steady through it all,"

Prior to the game, the program honored seniors Tanin, Thoranna Kika Hodge-Carr, Jess Finney, Destiny Jackson, and Naelle Bernard with an on-court ceremony alongside their friends and family.

"What makes me happiest is seeing Sitori Tanin, Jess Finney, Thoranna Kika Hodge-Carr, Naelle Bernard, and Destiny Jackson finish with a win—because they are winners in life, not just on the court. And to be honest, there's still so much basketball left to be played in the A-10 Tournament."

How it Happened
Behind an all-senior starting five, the Ramblers opened scoring as Tanin drew a foul in the paint and sank both free throws. However, the Billikens responded with a 6-0 run to take the lead at the 7:22 mark. Moments later, Finney knocked down a three-pointer to bring Loyola within one, but SLU answered again with an 11-2 run to push its lead back to 10. Bernard and Tanin each drove for layups to close the half, and Bernard's step-back three-pointer with 44 seconds remaining capped a 7-0 Loyola run, cutting the deficit to 17-14.

Saint Louis controlled the second quarter, scoring 20 points on 6-of-17 (35-percent) shooting from the field, including 4-of-6 (67-percent) from beyond the arc. Loyola Chicago again capitalized on driving layups from Bernard and Tanin in the final minute of the half but trailed 37-21 at halftime.

After scoring just seven points in the second quarter, Loyola Chicago responded with 20 in the third, shooting 46-percent (6-of-13) from the field and 60-percent (3-of-5) from three-point range. Emma Theodorsson started things off with a trey while Finney added another at the 6:44 mark to make it a 12-point game (41-29). The Maroon and Gold scored 12 of the next 14 points, shrinking SLU's lead to just two (43-41) as the fourth quarter arrived.

The final stretch was thrilling, with six ties and 11 lead changes. After Rosalie Mercille converted a three-point play under the basket, drawing a foul, Loyola took its first lead since the 9:46 mark of the first quarter. The back-and-forth battle continued until the 1:52 mark, when the Ramblers matched their largest lead of the game at 61-58 after two Saint Louis fouls led Tanin to four straight free throws. Two buckets from the Billikens helped the visitors lead it, 62-61, with under a minute left, but Theodorsson's go-ahead layup with 49 seconds left gave LUC momentum. The Ramblers' defense locked down Saint Louis on its final possession, forcing two misses before time expired.

Notes

• The win marked the program's first regular season finale triumph since 2021-22.
• Tanin's double-double (17 points and 11 rebounds) marked her second of the season and 12^th ever.
• Tanin's 11 rebounds matched her season-high.
• Theodorsson ended in double figures (14 points) for the 12^th time this season, the most on the team.
• Theodorsson's five assists were a season-high and matched her career-high.
• Mercille added nine points coming off the bench, her most since scoring 11 at Eastern Illinois on Nov. 23.
• Finney scored eight points and corralled six rebounds.
• Hodge-Carr and Bernard both scored seven points.

Up Next
No. 13 Loyola Chicago will meet No. 12 George Washington for the third time this season in the first round of the Atlantic 10 Championship next week. Tip-off is set for Wednesday (March 5) at 11 a.m. CT on ESPN+.