Box Score Zoie Miller scores 24 while Di'Mond Jackson records her second consecutive double-double to lead Loyola over the Lady Knights
NEW ORLEANS - The Loyola women's basketball team faced Southern University at New Orleans for their Champions of Character Game this afternoon, coming out on top 90-54 in The Den.
The Lady Knights (5-9) took an early 10-2 lead, but the Wolf Pack (14-4) quickly rallied back to take the lead, which they would control for the remainder of the game.
Head coach Kellie Kennedy called a quick timeout after the Pack fell behind 6-0 early in the first quarter, after which the tide began to turn in the favor of the home team. Following the 10-2 deficit, Loyola went on a 28-6 run in a 10-minute stretch spanning the first and second periods.
Di'Mond Jackson was an offensive maestro in the first half, racking up seven assists while surrounded by sharpshooters Paige Franckiewicz and Megan Worry, who each knocked down two three-pointers in the first half.
Jackson picked up her last three assists all in the last two minutes of the first half, as she was able to find Zoie Miller for two wide open looks under the basket, as well as an open triple for Franckiewicz, who connected on her third three of the game. The Wolf Pack closed the half on a 9-0 run to take a 47-25 lead into halftime.
Miller and Franckiewicz carried the momentum from the first half into the second, hitting three baskets to give the Wolf Pack a 27-point lead at 54-27, their largest of the game until the fourth quarter.
After scoring 12 points in the first half, Miller continued her scoring outburst in the second, scoring often on the break after creating fastbreak attempts with several steals.
The Pack's bench continued scoring with an efficient offense while playing well defensively, creating a 36-point lead at 90-54 by the final buzzer, the largest lead of the game for either team.
The conference's leading scorer, Miller, led the Pack with 24 points today, her ninth game this season scoring 20 or more and added six assists and four steals. For the second-straight game, Jackson collected a double-double, her fourth this year, scoring 13 points to go with 13 boards, which tied her season-best. The Baton Rouge, La. native added seven assists today, giving her 100 on the season and now owns 292 for her career, moving her past Kylah Jones for eighth most in school history. Jackson entered today ranked third in the NAIA, averaging 5.5 per game.
Five members of the Pack scored in double-digits today, including Miller, Jackson, Franckiewicz, Worry and Presley Wascom. For Franckiewicz, she was a perfect six for six from the field, including four for four from three-point range. Wascom's 10 was a career-high for the freshman, while Worry has now hit double-figures in scoring in back-to-back games.
As a team, the Pack collected 52 rebounds today, after entering the contest as the NAIA's leader in rebounds per game, and scored 80 or more points for the ninth time this year.
For the visiting Lady Knights, they were led by Briana Upshur and Kascity Martin, who each scored 12 points while Andriel Moss grabbed 10 rebounds.
The women's hoops team will get back into SSAC play this Saturday, January 27th, when they host the University of Mobile at 2 p.m. in The Den.
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