Box Score Loyola will take on the winner of tonight's matchup between No. 6-seed Faulkner University and No. 3-seed Auburn Montgomery. Tipoff between the Eagles and Warhawks is set for 8:00 p.m.
The No. 25 Loyola University New Orleans Women's Basketball team opened up play in the 2016 SSAC Women's Basketball Championship on Thursday, taking on No. 7-seed University of Mobile in the quarterfinals.
Despite being saddled with foul trouble early, the Wolf Pack managed to erase a 10-point halftime deficit to earn the 75-62 victory and advance to the semifinals.
No. 2-seed Loyola will take on the winner of tonight's matchup between No. 6-seed Faulkner University and No. 3-seed Auburn Montgomery tomorrow at 5:00 p.m. Tipoff between the Eagles and Warhawks is set for 8:00 p.m. this evening.
With the victory, Loyola improves to 21-7 on the year and 3-0 against Mobile during the 2015-16 season. Following the loss, the Rams end the season with a 16-15 overall record.
G Zoie Miller (SO/Frisco, Texas) led the Wolf Pack with a career-high 23 points and a game-high four assists off the bench. F Caroline Gonzalez (JR/Colleyville, Texas) chipped in 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting, while F Adrianne Sloboh (SR/Simi Valley, Ca.) poured in 15 points to go along with a game-high eight rebounds. F Meghan Temple (JR/Houston, Texas) ended the game as the only starter to score in double digits, putting up 10 points with seven boards.
Loyola shot 29-of-68 (42%) from the floor, while holding the Rams to just 20-of-65 (31%). The Wolf Pack's bench dominated, outscoring Mobile 53-7, led by Miller's 23 points. Loyola held the 40-35 rebounding advantage on Thursday and outscored the Rams 42-16 in the paint.
The Rams got on the board first and maintained the advantage throughout the opening quarter. Leading 21-13, Mobile ended the quarter with two free throws to take the 23-13 lead after the first ten minutes.
Down 28-19 at the 6:23 mark in the second, the Wolf Pack strung together 10-straight points to take their first lead of the game at 29-28. The score would tie three times in the final moments of the first half, before G Kayla Mack (FR/Houston, Texas) dropped in a two pointer as time expired to give Loyola the 38-37 advantage heading in to the locker rooms.
With Mobile up 46-45 in the third quarter, Loyola scored seven-straight points, capped off by a layup from Miller, to retake the lead at 53-46 with just over two minutes remaining. Gonzalez ended the third with a triple off an assist by Miller to give the second-seeded Wolf Pack the 61-51 cushion going to the fourth.
Loyola kept the lead at 10-plus points for the entire fourth quarter en route to the 75-62 quarterfinal victory.
