Nov. 29, 2013

Postgame Comments | Box Score | Photo Gallery

CHICAGO - Loyola came all the way back from an eight-point halftime deficit to take the lead but Lafayette countered with a 13-4 run to earn a 66-55 win over the Ramblers this afternoon at Gentile Arena. The Ramblers slide to 2-5 while the Leopards improve to 5-2 with the win.

Both teams got off to slow starts offensively and Loyola did not scratch from the field until a Katie Faught three-pointer at the 14:17 mark. Lafayette upped its lead to seven (17-10) on a pair of Kristan Liddle free throws but baskets from Cate Soane and Molly Crosby cut the deficit to three at the midway mark of the half. Lafayette's lead fluctuated between four and seven points the rest of the period until Linnel Macklin knocked down a three-pointer with 19 seconds left to give the Leopards a 33-25 lead at intermission.

Two buckets from Becca Smith early in the second half pulled the Ramblers within four but they struggled to get over the hump and Lafayette opened it largest lead of the game (43-32) on a Kelly Loughney jumper with 10:19 left. Loyola tightened the screws defensively and began to slowly chip away and a transition three-pointer from Bailey Farley made it a 43-40 game with 5:50 to play. The Ramblers kept pushing and eventually took the lead (45-44) on a Smith three-point play that capped a 13-1 Loyola run.

The teams traded baskets before Lafayette's Emily Homan knocked down a pair of free throws that gave the visitors the lead back, 48-47. Four more Leopards free throws upped the lead to five and a Maclin basket made it a seven-point spread (56-49) with 2:06 on the clock. After Hambric scored to cut it to five, Maclin connected from long range to put the Leopards up by eight and they cruised over the final 85 seconds.

Loyola shot just 31% from the field for the game while Lafayette connected at a 43% clip to offset the Ramblers' 20-10 advantage in turnovers forced.

Hambric led the Ramblers with 19 points while Smith was solid in her second start of the season, posting her first career double-double with 11 points (3-4 FGs, 5-7 FTs) and a career-high 10 rebounds. Ayrealle Beavers shot just 2-for-12 from the floor but grabbed five rebounds and handed out eight assists to go with her five points.

Loyola opens up the month of December on Wednesday (Dec. 4) when the Ramblers host Eastern Michigan at 7 p.m.