Box Score After a close first half, the 24th-ranked Loyola Wolf Pack pulled away from Mobile in the second half Tuesday to win their ninth consecutive game
MOBILE, Ala. – The Loyola University New Orleans women's basketball team used a strong third quarter to earn a win over Mobile Tuesday night, defeating the Rams 68-55. It's the ninth straight win for the Wolf Pack, which is 14-1 overall and sitting in first place of the Southern States Athletic Conference West Division with a 9-1 record.
Loyola will take a quick break from SSAC action, hosting Dillard Friday at 5:30 p.m. for a non-conference matchup.
Tuesday's tilt with Mobile stayed close in the beginning. The first quarter saw six ties, but the Rams held a slim lead throughout the opening frame. Taylor Thomas, Kennedy Hansberry and Sandra Cannady each scored to start the game, and Chelsea Gray and Jazmene McMillan got on the board to keep Loyola close.
Leading 19-13 to start the second, Mobile pushed the score to 23-15 before the Wolf Pack got on a run. Thomas, Cannady and Tay Cannon accounted for six quick points, and Hansberry tied the game moments later with less than two minutes left in the first half. Free throws by Tera Snell and Cannon helped Loyola take a 27-25 lead at halftime.
Holding a narrow lead, Loyola pushed its advantage to double digits in the first six minutes of the second half. Gray scored eight points during that time, and after making two free throws, Gray scored four fastbreak points to give Loyola a 35-31 lead halfway through the quarter. Presley Wascom followed with a score on an in-bounds play, and Thomas recorded a steal and scored at the other end of the floor to make it 39-31 with 4:50 left. Gray scored again to extend the lead to 41-31 a minute later.
Loyola would end up starting the third quarter on a 19-6 run, outscoring the Rams 28-11 in the frame to take a 55-36 lead entering the fourth quarter. McMillan scored five straight points to give Loyola a 15-point lead, 46-31, then Gray, Cannon and Snell combined to score nine points down the stretch to put the Wolf Pack in good position entering the final 10 minutes.
The Rams began the fourth quarter with five points in the first two and a half minutes, but Cannon and Jada Farrell pushed the lead back to 16 points, 59-43, a minute later. Mobile never could get the game down to single digits, as Wascom and Hansberry made free throws in the final minutes of the game.
Pack Facts
Chelsea Gray led the Wolf Pack with 14 points, earning a new career-high.
Taylor Thomas recorded seven steals Tuesday against Mobile, easily topping her career-best mark of four steals set earlier this season.
Thomas was second on the team with 12 points, which gives the sophomore seven games scoring in double figures this season.
The Wolf Pack's current 14-1 record matches the 2014-15 season as the best start to a season since the team started 15-1 during the 2011-12 season.
Loyola's current nine-game winning streak is the longest streak since the 2018-19 season when the Pack won 10 straight games.
You can keep up with the Pack by following Wolf Pack Athletics on Facebook at Facebook.com/LoyolaWolfPack, Twitter and Instagram @LoyolaWolfPack, and by checking out our website at LoyolaWolfPack.com.
