The No. 25 Loyola University New Orleans Women's Basketball team celebrated Senior Night on Wednesday evening by welcoming crosstown rival (RV) Xavier University of Louisiana to The Den for a nonconference showdown.
The Wolf Pack honored their two seniors by defeating the Gold Nuggets 67-57 in a game where the home team never trailed.
With the victory, Loyola improves to 18-6 overall, while Xavier drops to 17-10 following the loss.
On her big night, Sr. F Adrianne Sloboh (Simi Valley, Calif./Royal High School) shined on the glass, grabbing a team-high 13 boards (eight in the first quarter) to lead the Wolf Pack. So. G Zoie Miller (Frisco, Texas/Lone Star High School) paced the Loyola attack with 13 points and go along with five steals, while So. G Di'Mond Jackson (Baton Rouge, La./University Arkansas Little Rock) and Jr. G Kylah Jones(Houston, Texas/Westfield) both chipped in 11 points. Fr. G Megan Worry (Houston, Texas/Lumberton) was the final Loyola player to score in double figures, dropping 10 points on 3-of-8 shooting from the floor. In her final home game for the maroon and gold, Sr. G Briana Oglesby (Baton Rouge, La./University Laboratory School) scored three points on 1-of-2 shooting.
Whitney Gathright was a dominant force for the Gold Nuggets on Wednesday, leading all scorers with 24 points on 5-of-12 shooting from the field. Donyeah Mayfield was the only other Xavier player to score in double figures, adding 10 points and a team-high 11 boards in the loss.
The Wolf Pack shot 22-of-55 (40%) from the field while holding the Gold Nuggets to just 14-of-51 (28%) on Wednesay.
Loyola jumped out to a double-digit lead to start the first quarter afterMiller converted on two free throws to bring the score to 19-8 with 1:11 remaining. Xavier cut the deficit to five points with just 16 seconds remaining before a long triple by Miller put the home team up 22-14 heading in to the second quarter. The Gold Nuggets kept the game within single digits for a majority of the second half before a three by Worryfollowed by a layup by Jackson brought the lead back to 10, 35-35, with 3:22 to play. Jackson ended the second with a free throw to give Loyola the 40-26 advantage heading in to the locker rooms.
The Wolf Pack built the lead to as much as 19 points in the third quarter and were able to maintain a healthy 53-38 cushion heading in to the fourth.
Xavier used full court pressure to force itself back in to the game to start the final quarter. With 3:39 remaining, a three by the Gold Nuggets'Mayfield chipped the deficit down to just six at 56-50. Up 63-54, Loyola ended the game on a 6-3 run to seal the 67-57 victory in its final home game on the regular season. On the year, the Wolf Pack were an impressive 13-2 in games inside The Den.
Loyola ends the regular season with a three-game road trip, starting at the University of Mobile on Saturday, Feb. 20, with tipoff set for 2:00 p.m.
