MARIETTA, Ga. – The 14th-ranked Loyola Wolf Pack traveled to Marietta, Georgia, on Saturday to take on first-year Southern States Athletic Conference member Life University for their first league matchup of the season, and they'll return to New Orleans with the 68-44 victory. With the win, Loyola starts SSAC play 1-0 while also moving its overall record to 5-0. 
 

The Wolf Pack, which has won all five games by an average winning margin of 28 points, will play back-to-back games in central Louisiana next week in non-conference action. First, Loyola will take on Louisiana Christian on Monday at 5:30 p.m., then it'll play LSU Alexandria on Tuesday at 5 p.m. Loyola is set to return to SSAC play on Thursday, Dec. 1, at home against William Carey. 
 

Things started to go Loyola's way before the game even tipped, as the Wolf Pack got to shoot a technical free throw before the game started. Then, Loyola scored six straight points in the first two minutes to take a 7-0 lead, getting made shots by Jazmene McMillan and Sandra Cannady, as well as two free throws from Taylor Thomas, to start the game on a good note. After a couple more free throws by Cannady, Tay Cannon got on the board, 15-6, midway through the opening frame, scoring again a couple of minutes later to extend the advantage to 10, 19-9. Cannady's eighth point and a 3-pointer by Sydni Tangle brought the lead to 24-10 after the first 10 minutes of play. 
 

Holding the Running Eagles to just 10 first-quarter points, the Wolf Pack turned up the defense in the second period even more. The Pack forced seven Life turnovers, turning those into eight Loyola points to help make it a 22-point lead by halftime. McMillan, Cannady and Hansberry scored during consecutive possessions, 32-12, the latter two made shots coming after Cannady and Hansberry steals, too. McMillan got into double figures with a 3-pointer later in the quarter, 37-15, and she scored again down the stretch of the first half to bring the lead to 41-19. 
 

Loyola didn't allow Life to make up any ground in the second half, cruising to the 24-point win. McMillan kept up her solid play with five quick points to start the third quarter, 46-20, then Liz Critton scored her first points a couple of minutes later, 50-25. The two teams would trade a couple of buckets to close out the frame with Loyola leading 57-22. 
 

It was much of the same in the fourth as well, as Tangle hit a 3-pointer to maintain the 20-plus-point lead, 62-37, and Cannady reached the 20-point mark for the second time this season after back-to-back made shots, 66-38.  
 

Pack Facts

• Sandra Cannady posted another big performance, finishing with team highs in points (22), rebounds (14), and assists (3). It was her fifth double-double of the season in as many games. 

• Loyola, which averages about 13 steals a game, came up with 13 steals against Life, the team's fourth consecutive game with at least 10 takeaways. Kennedy Hansberry, who leads the Pack with 16 on the season, had a game-high four steals.

• The Wolf Pack out-rebounded the Running Eagles 51-43. It was the fourth time this season that Loyola has finished a game with at least 50 team rebounds. 

• Loyola currently leads the NAIA with an average of 52.8 rebounds per game.

• Liz Critton notched her second game with double-digit rebounds this season, grabbing 10 boards with two points, one assist, one steal, and one block.

• Sydni Tangle, who leads Loyola in three-point makes this season, went 3-for-6 from behind the arc on Saturday. She has hit three triples in back-to-back games.

• Loyola was able to hold Life to just 17-of-64 from the floor for 26.6 percent. 

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