Box Score (PDF)

In Short…
Loyola University Chicago battled all the way back from a 17-point deficit to take a fourth-quarter lead before ultimately falling short this evening to Youngstown State, 74-63, at the Beeghly Center in Youngstown, Ohio.  The Penguins improve to 2-0 with the win, while the Ramblers start the 2018-19 season at 0-1.
 
How It Happened
Following a lengthy delay due to a scoreboard malfunction, Youngstown State jumped out to an early 6-0 lead.  A jumper in the paint from Tiara Wallace sparked the Loyola offense, igniting a 9-2 Rambler run that was capped off by a Kat Nolan fastbreak score to put Loyola in front, 9-8, with 2:36 remaining in the first quarter.  Things remained tight for the remainder of the opening frame, with the Penguins holding a slim 17-14 at the end of the first quarter.
 
After a Wallace layup trimmed the deficit to 17-16, Youngstown State erupted for a run of its own, rattling off 17 of the night's next 18 points to open up a 33-18 lead with just under four minutes remaining in the half.  The deficit would reach 41-24 before Allison Day looked to spark the Ramblers heading into the locker room, draining a three that pulled Loyola back to 41-27 at the break.
 
The Maroon & Gold wasted no time in attacking the hosts coming out of halftime.  Triples on consecutive trips from Abby O'Connor and Ellie Rice trimmed the gap back into single digits, 43-35, with just over two minutes gone.  A post score by Day made it a one-possession game, 45-43, at the 3:07 mark.  The Penguins were able to hold off the Ramblers for the remainder of the quarter, taking a 50-47 lead into the final 10 minutes of regulation.
 
Back-to-back buckets from Wallace and Kat Nolan gave Loyola its first lead of the second half, 51-50, with 8:49 to play.  With Youngstown State holding on to a perilous 54-53 edge after two Janae Gonzales free throws, a McKenah Peters layup sparked a 9-0 spurt that reestablished a nine-point lead, 62-53.  Loyola refused to go away, with a Gonzales' three and Wallace jumper clawing the Ramblers back to within four, 64-60, with only 3:21 remaining.  That would prove to be as close as Loyola would get for the remainder of the night though, as the Penguins sealed the game from the charity stripe en route to their second win of the young season. 
 
Inside The Box Score
- Gonzales finished with a team-high 14 points to pace a quartet of Ramblers to score in double figures that also included Rice (13 points), Wallace (12 points) and O'Connor (10 points).
- O'Connor also ripped down eight rebounds, falling just two caroms shy of her first career double-double, while Rice dished out a career-best four assists.
- Day provided the Maroon & Gold with a lift off the bench, chipping in seven points to go along with two rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal in her collegiate debut.
- Youngstown State's Sarah Cash led all scorers with 17 points. 
 
Up Next
Loyola makes it 2018-19 debut on the Gentile Arena hardwood this Monday at 7 p.m. when it welcomes Detroit Mercy to Rogers Park.