Box Score The 24th-ranked Wolf Pack women's basketball team avenged their loss earlier this season to William Carey by beating the Crusaders by 19 points Saturday
NEW ORLEANS – The Loyola University New Orleans women's basketball team made it three wins in a row Saturday, defeating William Carey 78-59 in The Den to improve its record to 12-4 overall and 6-2 in Southern States Athletic Conference play. Loyola now sits atop the SSAC standings ahead of Middle Georgia State by one game. The two will play each next, too, as the Knights travel to The Den for a 5:30 p.m. contest next Thursday.
William Carey started the game by making its first three shots, taking a quick 6-2 lead over the Wolf Pack. Loyola, however, responded with a long 20-2 run that carried over into the second quarter. Kennedy Hansberry and Sandra Cannady tied the game at 6-all, then defensive plays by Tay Cannon and Sydni Tangle led to four more points to give Loyola an 11-6 advantage. Cannon's first block of the game resulted in a score by Liz Critton, then Tangle turned a steal into a Taylor Thomas score with more than three minutes left in the first. Thomas hit a 3 down the stretch, and Cannady and Kate Petrovic also scored to add to Loyola's lead by the end of the frame, 18-8.
Thomas quickly scored to start the second quarter, and free throws by Jazmene McMillan ended the Wolf Pack's run before the Crusaders were able to string together made shots. Leading 24-12, Petrovic and Tangle hit back-to-back 3s to extend the score to 30-14, and Hansberry pushed the lead to 32-14 moments later. Thomas scored the final four points for the Wolf Pack in the half, taking a 37-23 lead at the break.
Loyola kept up the pace in the second, thanks to six points by Cannon to start the third quarter. Leading by 12, Tangle hit another 3-pointer before the Crusaders cut the score to 10 with three minutes to play in the frame. Tera Snell got hot for the Pack, too, scoring six straight points in a 60-second span to help give Loyola a 57-40 advantage with 10 minutes to play.
From there, Loyola cruised to its 19-point victory, never letting the Crusaders get to within 14 points. After two Sandra Cannady free throws, Kennedy Hansberry scored four points to maintain the sizable advantage, 63-44, then a 3-pointer by McMillan put the Pack up 18, 66-48, halfway through the quarter. Cannon added eight straight points en route to the win.
Pack Facts
Tay Cannon led the way in scoring with 16 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two blocks on 6-of-8 shooting and a perfect 4-of-4 from the free-throw line. She scored half of her points in the fourth quarter.
Sydni Tangle finished the game close to a double-double with nine points and eight assists.
Taylor Thomas was the other player in double figures for the Pack, putting up 11 points while adding eight rebounds, three steals, and four assists.
Tera Snell scored a season-high eight points while blocking two shots. It's her fourth game this season with at least two swats.
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.
