Box Score The Wolf Pack's second-half effort nearly allowed them to pull off the upset Friday night at Devlin Fieldhouse, but fourth-ranked Fire held on for the win
NEW ORLEANS – A short-handed Loyola Wolf Pack women's basketball team nearly pulled off a come-from-behind win over No. 4 Southeastern (Fla.) Friday night, but the No. 23 Wolf Pack ended up suffering a 65-60 loss to the Fire at Tulane's Devlin Fieldhouse. Loyola (6-3) will be back in action Sunday afternoon when it hosts LSU Alexandria at 1 p.m.
Known for its 3-point shooting, Southeastern began the game with a 3 before Loyola scored the next six points to take a 6-3 lead through the first three minutes. Sydni Tangle got on the board first, followed by a Tay Cannon jumper and free throws from Tera Snell. Another 3 by SEU tied it up, as the two teams traded the lead a couple of more times before the Fire took a 12-11 advantage into the second quarter.
A score by Jazmene McMillan and a 3 by Kennedy Hansberry put the Pack up 16-14 early in the second frame, but the Fire quickly regained the lead a couple of possessions later. Leading 18-17 with four minutes until halftime, the Fire converted three 3-pointers to jump up 11, 31-20, at the break.
Missing two scorers who average in double figures this season, Loyola stayed within striking distance of Southeastern in the third quarter, which set up an exciting fourth. Tangle hit back-to-back 3s in the first two minutes of the second half to cut the deficit to five, 31-26, then the junior transfer made another 3-pointer to cut the SEU lead to 36-32. Tangle would end up making four from long range in the quarter, as Loyola trailed 48-39 with 10 minutes to go.
Hansberry and Cannon scored the fourth quarter's first four points before the Fire extended their advantage back out to 11, 54-43. With seven minutes left, Loyola went on an 8-0 run to get back in the game, getting 3s by Tangle and Hansberry and another score from McMillan. After SEU scored to take a 56-51 lead with five minutes left, Cannon made a 3, and Hansberry scored one possession later to give the game its first tie of the second half.
The Fire went back up, 59-56, after they made a 3-pointer, then two Liz Critton free throws and a score by Snell put Loyola up by one, 60-59. The Fire, however, would end up getting the go-ahead bucket with 41 seconds on the clock while Loyola's two 3-point attempts in the final minute didn't fall.
Pack Facts
Sydni Tangle had her best scoring game of the season, putting up a team-high 19 points while hitting five of her eight shots from long range and grabbing seven rebounds.
Tay Cannon was one point away from a double-double, recording a stat line of nine points, 13 rebounds, five assists, and two steals.
The assists and rebounds for Cannon were both career highs.
Kennedy Hansberry has scored in double figures in three consecutive games. She had 16 points Friday night to go along with six boards.
Loyola tied a season-high with eight 3-pointers for the second straight game, and the team's 40 percentage (8-for-20) shooting from long range was the second-best mark this season for the Wolf Pack (46.2 percent).
