CHICAGO - Loyola Chicago erased a two-point deficit entering the fourth quarter and pulled away late to defeat St. Bonaventure 60-52 on Saturday at Gentile Arena.

Alex-Anne Bessette scored a game-high 18 points and added three assists to lead the Ramblers (10-11, 6-4 Atlantic 10). Alexa Kinas contributed six points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals, while Alexus Mobley finished with seven points and a team-high three steals.

"I'm proud of our team's fight today in a game that was tough to find a rhythm in," said Loyola Chicago Head Coach Allison Guth. "Sometimes games are just like that—you have to fight through. I give a lot of credit to St. Bonaventure—they're very well coached. I have a lot of respect for Jim Crowley and the program he runs."

Loyola Chicago leaned on crisp ball movement throughout the contest, recording 16 assists on 23 made field goals. Kira Chivers and Kinas paced the Ramblers with four assists each.

Defensively, Loyola Chicago disrupted St. Bonaventure all afternoon, forcing 17 turnovers while committing 13 of its own. The Ramblers converted those takeaways into 10 points, with Mobley setting the tone on the perimeter.

How it Happened
After falling behind 3-2 early, Loyola Chicago responded with a 6-0 run midway through the first quarter, capped by a Mobley 3-pointer, to take an 8-3 lead. The Ramblers carried a narrow 15-14 advantage into the first break, knocking down three triples to account for nine of their points in the opening period.

St. Bonaventure briefly pulled ahead in the second quarter, but Loyola Chicago answered with another 6-0 run, highlighted by a basket from Kendall Hendrix, to regain the lead. The Ramblers extended the margin to 26-20 by halftime, doing much of their damage inside with eight points in the paint.

The Bonnies surged in the third quarter, outscoring Loyola Chicago 21-13 to take a 41-39 lead into the final period. Loyola Chicago's bench provided a spark, scoring six of the team's 13 points in the quarter.

The Ramblers took control in the fourth, holding St. Bonaventure scoreless during a decisive 6-0 run that ended with a Rosalie Mercille layup to put Loyola Chicago ahead 52-48 with 3:28 remaining. Loyola Chicago continued to build the lead from there, closing the game on a 21-point quarter to secure the eight-point win.

Game Notes

• Loyola Chicago rallied from a 41-39 deficit entering the fourth quarter.
• Loyola's four-game winning streak matches the longest of the Guth era.
• The Ramblers shot 7 of 17 from 3-point range.
• The Ramblers totaled 16 assists on 23 made field goals.
• Loyola Chicago's bench contributed 22 points.
• The Ramblers forced 17 turnovers.
• Bessette led all scorers with 18 points.
• Brooklyn Vaughn and Kinas each grabbed a team-high six rebounds.

Up Next
Loyola Chicago travels to Fordham on Wednesday.