MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The No. 9-ranked Loyola Wolf Pack picked things up in 2023 right where they left off in 2022, taking down the Faulkner Lady Eagles in Montgomery, Alabama, 76-63, to remain unbeaten on the season. The win moves Loyola to 12-0 overall and 6-0 in Southern States Athletic Conference play, and the Pack will return to The Den on Saturday as they host Talladega College for a 12 p.m. league contest. 
 

Kennedy Hansberry opened the scoring with a stepback jumper on the game's first possession, followed a minute later with a Jazmene McMillan layup as Loyola jumped out to a 4-1 lead. Back-to-back buckets by Faulkner gave them a momentary advantage, but Taylor Thomas rattled in a corner 3 to make it 7-5 Wolf Pack. Loyola never trailed again in the first quarter, as McMillan poured in nine points in the period. 
 

Thomas knocked in another 3-pointer to open the second quarter, but a six-minute Wolf Pack scoring drought allowed the Lady Eagles to build a double-digit lead at 31-21 with less than three minutes in the first half. Jada Farrell ignited the offense late in the half, with Thomas finding her for a 3 on the wing. Kennedy Hansberry and Sandra Cannady each scored two points in the final minutes of the half, capping a 7-0 run that left the Wolf Pack trailing 31-28 at halftime. 
 

Faulkner scored the first four points of the second half to go ahead 35-28, but Loyola finally responded in a big way with a 14-0 run, with McMillan scoring half of those points. McMillan, who had nine points in the first quarter, added 10 more in the third. She was not the highest scorer in the quarter, however, as Thomas dropped 11 in the frame, including two triples. Loyola outscored Faulkner 29-14 in the period to take a 57-45 advantage into the fourth. 
 

The Lady Eagles had a strong comeback effort in the final quarter, coming within four points at 60-56 with six minutes to play. The Pack started to pull away after that Faulkner run, scoring eight straight points over the next three minutes, with six coming from Cannady. 
 

Loyola hit six free throws over the final few minutes to seal the win. 
 

Pack Facts

• Jazmene McMillan and Taylor Thomas were the game's scoring leaders with 20 points apiece.

• Thomas hit four of her nine shots from three-point range, also a game high. She's now at 101 threes for her collegiate career. 

• McMillan, who went 8-of-18 from the floor, also led the Wolf Pack with four assists while grabbing eight rebounds. 

• Sandra Cannady picked up her 10th double-double of the season, finishing with 14 points and a game-high 12 rebounds, as well as two steals and a block. 

• Kennedy Hansberry, who scored 15 points, also led the team with five steals.

• Overall, the Wolf Pack totaled 12 steals. It's the eighth game this season in which the team has had at least 10 takeaways. 

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.