The (RV) Loyola New Orleans Women's Basketball team ended a three-game home stand on Monday, welcoming Middle Georgia State University for a SSAC matchup inside The Den. The Wolf Pack earned the convincing 74-58 victory at home thanks to a career-high eight rebounds off the bench by R-So. Di'mond Jackson (Baton Rouge, La./University Arkansas Little Rock).
With the win, Loyola Head Coach Kellie Kennedy tied Dobee Plaisance for first on the all-time coaches win list in program history (155).
Loyola improves to 9-3 overall and 4-0 following the victory. Conversely, the Knights drop to 3-8 and 0-4 in the SSAC with the loss.
With the score tied at 5-5 to start the game, the Wolf Pack went on a 5-0 run to take the 10-5 advantage with 5:14 to play in the first quarter. Following a bucket by Middle Georgia State, Loyola strung together six-straight points to stretch to the lead to 17-7 with just over three minutes to play in the quarter. With the score at 21-11, Sr. G Briana Olglesby(Baton Rouge, La./University Laboratory School) drained a triple to put the home team up 24-11. Middle Georgia State's Tascianna Taylorended the quarter with a jumper to bring the score to 24-13 after the first quarter of action.
Down, but not out, the visitors hung tough with the Wolf Pack in the second quarter, cutting the deficit to just four (33-29) with under a minute to play before halftime. Fr. G Megan Worry (Houston, Texas/Lumberton) ended the half with two free throws to bring the score to 35-29 heading into the locker room.
Loyola turned up the pressure in the third quarter and began to pull away. Up 52-36, the Wolf Pack ended the third by scoring eight-unanswered points to make the score 59-36 after three.
The home team kept the Knights at a safe distance for the entirety of the fourth and Loyola claimed the convincing 74-58 victory at home.
Jr. F Megan Temple (Houston, Texas/Klein) led Loyola with 14 points (12 in the second half) on 5-of-9 shooting and seven rebounds. Oglesbyand Jackson both had 11 points in the win, with Jackson adding a career-high eight rebounds.
For the Knights, Taylor had a game-high 18 points to go along with six rebounds.
The Wolf Pack kickoff a four-game road trip on Thursday, January 4, traveling to take on Brewton-Parker at 4:30 p.m.
