EVANSTON, Ill. — Clara Djoko scored the go-ahead basket with 21 seconds remaining as the Loyola Chicago Ramblers edged the Northwestern Wildcats, 69-68, on Thursday at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
Loyola Chicago (4-7, 0-1 A-10) had three players score in double figures, led by Alex-Anne Bessette, who tied her career high with 22 points. Brooklyn Vaughn posted her third double-double of the season with 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Rosalie Mercille added 11 points.
The Ramblers forced 17 Northwestern (6-5, 0-1 Big Ten) turnovers and converted them into 18 points while committing 13 turnovers themselves. Alexa Kinas led Loyola Chicago with four steals as the defense forced a missed 3-pointer on Northwestern's final possession to seal the victory.
"I'm really proud of our resilience and effort," said Loyola Chicago Head Coach Allison Guth. "We were without our starting point guard, and Alexa Kinas stepped up to lead us, along with Alex-Anne Bessette at the point. We took care of the ball with 16 assists, and Alex-Anne was aggressive offensively all night. Brooklyn's [Vaughn] double-double was huge, and Clara [Djoko] made the biggest play with the late basket. It's a big win, and now we have to keep building,".
How it Happened
Loyola Chicago and Northwestern traded baskets early in the first quarter. Vaughn scored six points and grabbed four rebounds before the first media timeout as Loyola built a 10-6 lead. Northwestern responded with a 4-0 run to tie the game at 10-10. Late hoop-and-harm plays from Vaughn and Mercille helped the Ramblers take a 20-16 lead after one quarter. Loyola Chicago shot 9-of-16 (56-percent) from the field in the opening period.
The Ramblers extended their lead early in the second quarter with 3-pointers from Mercille and Roisin Grandberry. Bessette connected from long range at the 6:42 mark to push the lead to 31-22. At halftime, Bessette had 17 points, while Vaughn was 4-for-4 from the field with five rebounds. Loyola Chicago carried a 38-33 advantage into the break.
Northwestern opened the third quarter with a 4-0 run to cut the deficit to 44-42. Vaughn and Mercille combined for five points to steady Loyola Chicago, and Vaughn closed the period with seven points and four rebounds as the Ramblers maintained their lead entering the fourth quarter.
Northwestern forced two early turnovers in the final quarter and used an 8-0 run to take its first lead since the opening possession, 61-60. Loyola Chicago responded with back-to-back layups from Djoko and Vaughn to regain the lead at 65-64 with just under three minutes remaining.
Djoko's basket with 21 seconds left put Loyola Chicago ahead for good. The Ramblers then forced a contested miss from beyond the arc on Northwestern's final possession to secure the one-point win.
Game Notes
- Loyola Chicago recorded its second all-time win over Northwestern.
- Head coach Allison Guth improved to 2-1 against the Wildcats.
- Alexus Mobley made her first career start for the Ramblers.
- Vaughn finished with 19 points and a team-high 10 rebounds.
- Bessette tied her career high with 22 points.
- Mercille scored 11 points.
- Loyola Chicago totaled 16 assists and collected 11 offensive rebounds.
Up Next
The Ramblers return to action this Monday (Dec. 22) when they host Austin Peay at Gentile Arena. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. CT on ESPN+.
