Feb. 21, 2008

Box Score

CHICAGO - Milwaukee's Traci Edwards scored a Gentile Center-record 45 points but it was a late drought by Loyola that proved to be the difference as the Ramblers dropped an 83-78 decision to the Panthers tonight at the Gentile Center. Loyola (6-18, 4-9 Horizon) sees its modest two-game winning streak come to an end while Milwaukee improves to 14-11 (9-5).

The guests roared out of the gates, knocking down nine of their first 11 shots to take a 19-9 lead less than seven minutes into the game. The Ramblers managed to hang around, despite some early turnovers, but the Panthers were able to extend the margin and opened up a 34-20 lead with 7:17 on the clock. Loyola was finally able to string together a couple of stops and closed the half with a 15-4 run over the last 4:23 - capped by an Elyse VanBogaert hoop in the final seconds - to draw within three (42-39) at intermission. Defensive stops were at a premium in the half, as Loyola blazed the nets at a 69.6% (16 of 23) clip in the period while UWM was not far behind, shooting 64.3% (18 of 28) in the half.

Loyola made another push after Edwards opened the second half with a three-point play, as Shannon Finnegan scored on three straight trips to forge a tie at 45-all. Maggie McCloskey hit VanBogaert for a lay-up off an out-of-bounds play to give the Ramblers their first lead since 7-6 and a McCloskey triple moments later gave LU a 54-50 lead less than five minutes into the period. Milwaukee responded with a 10-0 run of its own to grab a six-point lead but another McCloskey three combined with five points from Jessica Hylton drew LU even again (64-64) at the midway mark of the half. After the Panthers crept back out to a six-point lead, the Ramblers battled back in similar fashion, knotting the game at 78 on a Keisha Collins bucket. With Loyola long in the double bonus, Edwards knocked down a pair from the line to give UWM the lead back before Collins missed a key front-end at the stripe on the ensuing LU possession. Edwards went back to the line on the next trip, splitting a pair to keep it a one-possession game, and Loyola had three chances to make a dent in the deficit only to come up empty each time. The Ramblers had one more chance after a Panther turnover but Collins' three-pointer came up short and Edwards iced it with her 19th and 20th made free throws of the game.

The teams shot an identical percentage (59.6%) from the floor but Edwards' ability to get to the line was the difference, as she finished 12 of 14 from the floor and 20 of 22 from the line. The Ramblers countered with balance, placing five players in double figures, led by Hylton's 14 points.

Loyola wraps up weekend play with a Saturday afternoon game against Green Bay. Tip-off from the Gentile Center is set for 2 p.m.