Nov. 17, 2013
Highlights | Postgame Comments | Box Score
CHICAGO - Christina Salvatore's only field goal of the game was a driving lay-up with :03.4 seconds left and lifted Idaho to a 62-60 win over Loyola tonight at Gentile Arena. Loyola slips to 1-2 while the Vandals improve to 2-1 with the win.
Loyola got off to a good start, racing out to an early 11-5 lead behind five points from Tiana Karopulos. However, Idaho's Stacey Barr knocked down three from downtown in a 16-2 Vandals run that gave the visitors a 21-13 lead midway through the half. The Ramblers were forced to try and play catch-up and they pulled within four on a Molly Crosby bucket but two more Idaho treys bumped the lead to 10 (30-20) and the guests took a 34-27 lead into intermission after Connie Ballestrero scored at the buzzer. Loyola shot just 32% in the opening period and the Vandals were hot from the arc, knocking down eight in the opening 20 minutes.
The Ramblers came out of the locker room with renewed intensity and ripped off the first seven points of the half to draw even at 34. Idaho managed to hang on to its lead and was up by six (46-40) at the 12:39 mark. A three-point play from Becca Smith and an Ayrealle Beavers basket helped the Ramblers forge a 46-46 tie with just under nine minutes left and the home team moved in front after two straight buckets from Karopulos. An Erin Thomas trey gave LU a four-point lead (58-54) with 4:33 to go but the Ramblers could not gain any more separation.
A three-point play from Alyssa Charlston tied the game at 58 with 1:27 to play but Troy Hambric scored and was fouled to put Loyola back on top. She missed the free throw and Charlston scored again to tie the game for the eighth time with 33 seconds on the clock. Salvatore came up with a steal on the ensuing possession and drove the length of the floor, hitting a lay-up over Hambric to put Idaho in front and give the visitors the victory.
Loyola shot just 35% from the floor for the game but the Ramblers were solid defensively, holding Idaho to 32% shooting for the game and holding them scoreless from the arc (0 for 11) in the second half.
Karopulos led Loyola with 17 points and she was joined in double figures by Johnson, who added 12 points and nine rebounds. Hambric posted a double-double of 10 points and 12 rebounds but finished just 4-of-16 from the floor.
The Ramblers hit the road next week for a pair of games beginning with a Thursday night tilt at Eastern Illinois.
