CHICAGO - The Loyola University Chicago women's basketball team heads to the DMV for a meeting with George Mason this Wednesday (Jan. 14). Tip-off from EagleBank Arena is set for 6 p.m. CT with the game streaming live on ESPN+.

QUICK HITS

• The Ramblers enter Wednesday having eclipsed 70 points in back-to-back wins at Dayton (71-68) and versus Saint Louis (71-64).
• The win at Dayton marked Loyola's first time this season scoring more than 70 points.
• Loyola improved its record over Saint Louis to 5-2 since joining the Atlantic 10.
• Likewise, LUC secured their third straight victory over Saint Louis and their third consecutive win against the Billikens at Gentile.
• Freshman Alex-Anne Bessette led all scorers with 20 points and added a career-high six rebounds for her second career 20-point game and ninth double-digit scoring effort of the season.
• Her efforts led to an A-10 Co-Rookie of the Week nod. The plaudit was Loyola's first weekly league award since November 2023.
• Trailing 55-49 entering the final period, the Ramblers outscored the Billikens 22-9 in the fourth quarter and closed the game on a decisive 13-1 run.
• Loyola Chicago's scoring heats up throughout the game. This season, Loyola has scored 182 points in the first quarter, 210 in the second, 234 in the third, and 252 in the fourth.
• The Ramblers have been perfect at the charity stripe twice this season (at UConn and vs. UMES).
• Vaughn ranks fifth in the Atlantic 10 in rebounding (6.9 boards per game). She's had three games with double digit rebounds, all of which have been double-double performances.

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 GEORGE MASON

• Head Coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis holds a 86-54 (.614) record in five seasons at GMU.
• The Patriots are the defending Atlantic 10 Champions.
• This season, GMU is 10-6 overall and 5-0 in league play.
• The Patriots are on a four-game win streak, having most recently beaten George Washington, 59-46, at home.
• Two Patriots average double figure scoring with Zahirah Walton leading the duo at 19.7 points per game.
• That mark ranks second in the conference and No. 20 in the nation.

ALL-TIME AGAINST GEORGE MASON

• Loyola trails in its all-time series with GMU, 3-0.
• In the most recent matchup on Jan. 15, 2025, Loyola fell, 69-39, to GMU at Gentile Arena.
• Alexa Kinas scored eight points and tallied six rebounds in the loss.

LAST TIME OUT
Loyola Chicago rallied past Saint Louis, 71-64, on Sunday at Gentile Arena behind a dominant fourth-quarter performance, outscoring the Billikens 22-9 in the final period after trailing 55-49 entering the quarter. The Ramblers (6-10, 2-3 A-10) closed the game on a decisive 13-1 run to secure their third straight win over Saint Louis. Alex-Anne Bessette led all scorers with 20 points and a career-high six rebounds, while Alexa Kinas added 12 points, including seven in the fourth quarter. Roisin Grandberry contributed a career-high 10 points off the bench. Loyola forced 15 turnovers, held Saint Louis to 35.5 percent shooting and limited the Billikens to just two field goals in the fourth quarter to seal the comeback victory.

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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