Nov. 9, 2012
Box Score
Easton, Pa. - After cruising to a nine-point halftime lead, Loyola went ice cold in the second half and Lafayette took advantage, outscoring the Ramblers 35-15 in the second half to claim a 62-51 victory in the season opener for both teams in Easton, Pa. Patrice King and Simone Law led Loyola with 11 points.
Both teams got off to slow starts and the game was tied at 10 after a King basket just over eight minutes into the game. The Leopards scored the next four before the Ramblers found their stride, holding Lafayette to just two points over a 6:28 span as the visitors embarked on a 16-2 spurt to take a commanding 30-16 lead with just over four minutes to go in the half. Law had seven points in the run, which was capped by six points from Molly Crosby. A Samantha Jordan basket pulled the Leopards within five (32-27) at the 1:02 mark but Loyola got baskets from Lyndsey Booker and Monica Albano in the final minute to take a 36-27 lead into halftime. After their slow start, the Ramblers finished at 47% for half while forcing nine LC turnovers and holding the home team to 38% shooting from the floor.
Loyola could not carry the momentum over into the second half as Lafayette opened the second half on a 15-2 run to take a 42-38 lead just over seven minutes into the period. It appeared the Ramblers had regain their rhythm and they took a 45-42 lead on a Law basket midway through the half. However, Loyola would only score one basket over the next 7:08 as the Leopards took control with an 18-2 burst and they cruised to the finish line from there.
Loyola connected on just 6-of-35 (17.1%) of its shots in the second half, the sixth-worst shooting half in program history, to finish at 32% for the game.
Law and King finished with identical stat lines of 11 points and nine rebounds, a career high for King, but shot a combined 9-for-34. Crosby had the best game of her young career off the bench, pitching in with career-bests of eight points and seven rebounds in 20 minutes of action.
The Ramblers wrap up their east coast swing on Sunday when they take on former conference mate La Salle at Noon CT.
