Box Score The Loyola University New Orleans women's basketball team came back from an 11 point deficit in the first half to take down SSAC opponent Belhaven University 81-70 this afternoon in The Den.
SAT, 02/28/2015
The Loyola University New Orleans women's basketball team came back from an 11 point deficit in the first half to take down SSAC opponent Belhaven University 81-70 this afternoon in The Den. This marked the final game of the regular season for the Wolf Pack, who qualified for the SSAC Championship Tournament next week, March 4-7 in Montgomery, Alabama.
The Wolf Pack went up by six (13-7) four and half minutes into the game, but the Blazers responded with four consecutive field goals to take a three point lead (14-13) with 12:52 to go in the first. A jumper by Narshando Malone at 9:39 would extend the lead to seven, and Belhaven would go up by as much as 11 points before the end of the first half. The Wolf Pack entered the second half down by eight (40-32).
A jumper by senior Janeicia Neely and a three-pointer by Megan Whittaker cut the deficit to three (40-37) to begin the second half. The Wolf Pack would gain the lead (45-44) with 14:44 left in the game off a field goal by redshirt sophomore Briana Oglesby, but the Blazers responded with a jumper by Ariel Wilson to bring Belhaven back up by one. Loyola and the Blazers would exchange leads three more times over the next two minutes, but the Wolf Pack began to dominate offensively thanks to a pair of three-pointers by sophomore Caroline Gonzalez and Oglesby. Gonzalez and Oglesby would knock down a second set of three-pointers with roughly seven minutes to go, bringing the Pack's lead to 10. The Wolf Pack would remain ahead of the Blazers by double-digits for the remainder of the night, going up by as much as 16 with 55 seconds left in the game.
Neely paced the Pack on offense with 27 points, while grabbing seven rebounds and dishing out five assists in the win. Oglesby added 13 points, going 5-of-7 from the field, while sophomore Megan Temple and Whittaker added 12 points and 11 points, respectively. Temple captained the defense with nine boards on the day.
Wilson led the Blazers on offense with 21 points on 8-of-18 shooting, while Candler Gregory added 16 points, going 5-of-9 from the field. Wilson and TaShayla Steede led the defensive effort with four boards apiece.
The Wolf Pack finished the day shooting 48% from the field and a blistering 55% from beyond the arc. Loyola also outrebounded the Blazers 42 to 21, grabbing 15 offensive rebounds compared to Belhaven's three.
Loyola will resume action next week, March 4-7, at the Southern States Athletic Conference Championship Tournament.
