CHICAGO - The Loyola University Chicago women's basketball team plays host to Rhode Island for its second straight Atlantic 10 bout. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. with Andy Jachim (pxp) and Christian Thomas (color) calling the action live on ESPN+.

QUICK HITS

• The Ramblers most recently fell to Davidson, 62-50, at Gentile Arena.
• Alexa Kinas led all Ramblers with a career-high 18 points.
• Alex-Anne Bessette scored 11 points; Brooklyn Vaughn added 10 points, eight rebounds and two steals.
• Kinas, Bessette and Vaughn combined for 39 of Loyola's 50 points (78 percent).
• Loyola held a 33-32 rebounding edge and forced 16 Davidson turnovers.
• Rosalie Mercille and Kinas recorded three steals apiece.
• Loyola's shorthanded bench was unable to produce any scoring in the loss.
• Davidson shot 44 percent from the field and was held to 62 points after entering the game averaging 70.6 points per contest.
• Interestingly, points in the paint, free throws, and second chance points were all equal.
• Prior to the loss, Loyola won back-to-back Field Trip Day games as LUC beat Oakland on Loyola's Field Trip Day on Dec. 15 before beating NU on their Field Trip day on Dec. 18.
• The Ramblers posted back-to-back wins for the first time this season.
• Loyola Chicago's scoring heats up throughout the game. This season, Loyola has scored 137 points in the first quarter, 152 in the second, 187 in the third, and 202 in the fourth.
• The Ramblers have been perfect at the charity stripe twice this season (at UConn and vs. UMES). Only six other games by A-10 members have seen a perfect outing at the line this season.
• Vaughn ranks fifth in the Atlantic 10 in rebounding (7.1 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 THE RHODE ISLAND RAMS

• Head Coach Tammi Reiss is in her seventh season at the helm of the Rams. She's 121-70 (.634) through her tenure.
• Three Rams enter Saturday averaging double figure scoring with Palmire Mbu (13.5 ppg) leading the charge.
• MBU also paces the team in rebounding (6.4) and blocks (1.6).
• Freshman Vanessa Harris is also averaging double figures, contributing 12.1 points per game. She earned Atlantic 10 Freshman of the Week honors after a standout week that included a career-high 19 points against Holy Cross, followed by a team-best 15 points in Rhode Island's 68-63 upset win at No. 16 NC State. Harris was highly efficient in both outings, shooting 52 percent from the field and 62.5 percent from three-point range.
• URI averages 69.4 points per game and shoots the ball at a 43 percent clip from the floor.

ALL-TIME AGAINST THE RAMS

• The Rams lead Loyola Chicago, 2-1, in the all-time series.
• Loyola downed Rhody, 61-56, on Jan. 10, 2024.
• Emma Nolan registered a career-high 18 points to pace LUC.
• The win snapped the co-defending 2022-23 Atlantic 10 regular season champions' five-game win streak.
• The Ramblers shot the deep ball at a 47-percent (7-of-15) clip.
• Last season, Emma Theodorsson and Naelle Bernard both eclipsed the 200-point mark for the season while playing at Rhode Island.
• Audrey Deptula also delivered a standout performance, recording a career-high15 pints.
• Despite their efforts, Loyola Chicago fell, 67-49, on the road.

LAST TIME OUT
Alexa Kinas scored a career-high 18 points as Loyola Chicago placed three players in double figures, but the Ramblers fell to Davidson, 62-50, Wednesday afternoon at Gentile Arena. Davidson used a fast start and a strong second quarter to build a double-digit halftime lead, then maintained control despite multiple Loyola runs in the second half. Loyola out-rebounded the Wildcats and forced 16 turnovers, but Davidson's efficient shooting and ability to capitalize on Loyola turnovers proved decisive.

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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