Box Score In the second game of Loyola's Thanksgiving trip in Florida, the Wolf Pack took care of Ave Maria to improve to 6-1 overall
LAKELAND, Fla. – The Loyola Wolf Pack concluded their Thanksgiving Classic trip in Lakeland, Florida, with a win Saturday afternoon, defeating Ave Maria University 79-67. The Pack is now 6-1 overall this season and it remains 2-0 in Southern States Athletic Conference play.
Although it was by a slim margin, Loyola outscored AMU in all four quarters of the contest, and it started with a 21-19 first quarter. The two teams traded the lead four times before Loyola grabbed an 11-10 lead. The Pack extended the advantage to 17-11 before Gyrenes cut the Pack's lead to two at the end of the frame.
Loyola pushed its lead to 33-22, as Breyah Richardson, Taylor Thomas, Tay Cannon, Kaila Anthony and Kamille Cooper all converted field goals in the first three minutes. Ave Maria finished the first half on a 12-6 run to make it a 39-34 game at halftime.
AMU took its first lead since early in the first quarter after starting the third on another 12-6 run. Thomas, however, had six points in the final three minutes to help put the Wolf Pack up 59-48. Loyola ended the third quarter on a 14-2 run, then matched the Gyrenes point for point in the fourth to cruise to the 12-point win.
Loyola returns to the court Tuesday, Dec. 3, for a 5:30 p.m. crosstown matchup at Dillard.
Pack Facts
For the third straight game, Loyola had four players score in double figures. Kaila Anthony led the Wolf Pack with 14 points, Taylor Thomas had 12, and Tay Cannon and Kamille Cooper each had 10.
Thomas, Cannon and Cooper all came off the bench to score those points, as Loyola's bench outscored Ave Maria's bench 46-22.
Cooper and Breyah Richardson had seven rebounds a piece to lead Loyola, and that's Richardson's season-high. The senior's career-high is 10.
Cooper's 10 points was the first time she's hit double-digits this season, and it's also a career-high for the junior.
Freshman Taylor Thomas' 12 points was the second most points she has scored this season.
Loyola had 22 points off turnovers compared to Ave Maria's four, and the Wolf Pack also had 17 second-chance points to Ave Maria's eight.
