Box Score The No. 6-seed Loyola women's basketball team easily handled No. 11-seed Menlo in the first game of the NAIA National Championship Opening Round on Friday
NEW ORLEANS – After a close first 10 minutes in Friday's NAIA Opening Round game against Menlo College (Calif.), the No. 6-seed Loyola Wolf Pack women's basketball team dominated the final 30 minutes of game play en route to a 78-40 win. Friday was the first round of the NAIA Women's Basketball National Championship Opening Round, presented by Ballogy, and the Pack will now turn their attention to No. 3-seed Carroll College (Mont.) on Saturday for the right to play at the final site of the national tournament in Sioux City, Iowa.
Saturday's matchup will tip-off at 3 p.m. at Fogelman Arena in the Devlin Fieldhouse.
Tay Cannon got off to a good start for the Wolf Pack with eight of the team's first 10 points, giving the Pack a 10-7 lead halfway through the opening quarter. Sandra Cannady and Liz Critton each added buckets to help push the the lead to 14-9 with three and a half left in the quarter, but Menlo closed the frame on a 12-0 run to take a 21-14 advantage into the second quarter.
The second quarter was completely dominated by the Wolf Pack, though, outscoring the Oaks 22-2 during the 10 minutes. Jazmene McMillan and Cannon started with field goals each, then Cannon got back to scoring ways to bring the game to within three, 21-18. Sydni Tangle tied the game moments later, and a 3-pointer by Kennedy Hansberry pushed the score to 26-23 in the Pack's favor. With two minutes to go, Cannon and Critton made it a seven-point Loyola lead, which was followed by a 3-pointer from Jada Farrell in the final 30 seconds to bring the score to 34-23 at the break.
Cannon and Tera Snell each made two shots to start the second half, extending the score to a 17-point lead, 42-25, then after a Menlo score, Cannady helped make it a 21-point lead with six quick points. A 3-pointer by Tangle and free throws from McMillan gave Loyola a 58-30 lead entering the final quarter.
The Pack didn't let up in the fourth either, putting up 20 more points while holding Menlo to just 10. Taylor Thomas gave Loyola its largest lead at the time, 72-38, with a 3-pointer, and she scored four more points and McMillan added two more to end the game with Loyola up 38.
Pack Facts
Tay Cannon notched her fourth double-double of the season and fifth of her career after scoring 22 points with 10 rebounds, a steal and a block. Cannon made 10 of her 18 shots from the field.
Tera Snell did a good job on the defensive end, helping Loyola to limit Menlo's top scorer Kiara Brown to a 3-for-18 shooting effort.
Snell finished with a team-high two blocks, moving her into a tie for sixth on Loyola's all-time blocks list with a total of 56 career blocked shots.
Sandra cannady (12 points) and Sydni Tangle (10) were the other double-figure scorers for the Wolf Pack. Tangle also stole the ball three times, while Cannady added eight rebounds and two steals.
Taylor Thomas didn't score in double figures, but she had a great overall game, finishing with nine points, nine rebounds, seven assists, and three steals.
NAIA Opening Round: New Orleans Bracket
Friday, March 11:
Game 1 | #3 Carroll (Mont.) def. #14 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.), 69-50
Game 2 | #6 Loyola def. #11 Menlo (Calif.), 78-40
Saturday, March 12:
Game 3 | 3 p.m. | #3 Carroll vs. #6 Loyola
All times local (CST)
Winner of Game 3 advances to the Round of 16 in Sioux City, Iowa
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.
