FAIRFAX, Va. — Loyola Chicago shot 40-percent from three-point range and held George Mason to 36.4-percent shooting, but a late fourth-quarter rally came up short in a 59-54 loss Wednesday night at EagleBank Arena.

The Ramblers (6-11, 2-4 Atlantic 10) connected on 6 of 15 attempts from beyond the arc and placed two players in double figures. Alexa Kinas led Loyola Chicago with 17 points and a team-high seven rebounds, while Alex-Anne Bessette added 10 points and two blocks. Alexus Mobley finished with seven points, including a key third-quarter 3-pointer that sparked a rally.

Loyola Chicago forced 15 turnovers and converted them into 15 points, including seven points off takeaways in the fourth quarter. The Ramblers also held a narrow 31-30 rebounding edge and recorded five team blocks, but George Mason's efficiency at the free-throw line (14 of 15) proved decisive.

"We had a really exciting game here tonight," said Loyola Chicago Head Coach Allison Guth. "We held them to 59 points when they average 72, so we were really proud of our defensive effort. We had opportunities to win this thing in the fourth quarter, but we came up short."

How it Happened
George Mason (11-6, 6-0 Atlantic 10) opened the game with an 8-0 run and led 10-2 before Loyola Chicago responded with a 5-0 spurt, capped by a Rosalie Mercille 3-pointer, to pull within 10-7 with 4:46 remaining in the first quarter. The Patriots closed the period on a run to take a 14-9 lead.

The Patriots extended their advantage to 25-14 midway through the second quarter, but the Ramblers answered with five straight points, highlighted by a Kinas 3-pointer. Loyola Chicago continued to chip away but went into halftime trailing 29-23 after being outscored by one point in the period.

George Mason pushed its lead to double digits early in the third quarter, building a 44-31 advantage. Loyola Chicago responded with a 6-0 run, punctuated by a Mobley 3-pointer off a turnover, to trim the deficit to 44-37 with one minute remaining. The Patriots closed the quarter ahead 46-37, despite the Ramblers shooting 50-percent from the field in the frame.

George Mason stretched its lead to a game-high 15 points early in the fourth quarter before Loyola Chicago mounted a 12-0 run, capped by a Kinas 3-pointer, to cut the deficit to 54-51 with 2:17 remaining. The Ramblers outscored the Patriots 17-13 in the final period and held George Mason to 14.3-percent shooting in the quarter, but the Patriots sealed the game at the free-throw line down the stretch.

Game Notes

• Loyola Chicago shot 6 of 15 (40-percent) from three-point range.
• The Ramblers held George Mason to 36.4-percent shooting from the field.
• Loyola Chicago forced 15 turnovers and scored 15 points off takeaways.
• The Ramblers recorded five blocks and finished with a 31-30 rebounding edge.
• Loyola Chicago scored seven fast-break points and five second-chance points.
• Kinas led LUC with 17 points and seven rebounds.

Up Next
The Ramblers end their road trip at George Washington this Saturday (Jan. 17) at 1 p.m. CT.