Loyola drops crosstown contest at Xavier

NEW ORLEANS  – The Loyola Wolf Pack women's basketball team is now 3-1 on the season  after a 59-48 loss at Xavier on Monday. The Wolf Pack will look to bounce back on Thursday when the team opens the Southern States Athletic Conference schedule with a 5:30 p.m. matchup against Faulkner. 

Xavier's defense prevented Loyola's offense from getting going in the early game, with the Wolf Pack not scoring until the 5:12 mark of the first quarter. Bria McClure ended the scoring drought with two free throws to make it 8-2. Deniya Thornton made the Pack's only bucket of the quarter off of a XULA turnover, as the rest of the team's points came at the free-throw line. 

The Gold Nuggets made a pair of threes in the final two minutes to head into the second quarter up 15-6.

Technical fouls were called on both sides to begin the second quarter, but then things started heating up for the Pack with Thornton sinking two straight buckets to cut the deficit to four points at 16-12 just two minutes in. XULA got one back to end the short run, but McClure got a wide-open layup and Alissa O'Dell hit a turnaround jumper to cut Xavier's lead to two at 18-16. 

The teams traded scoring runs, with Loyola scoring five straight to end the second and go into halftime down 23-21. 

Caitlin Travis started the scoring for the Pack in the third, as Xavier and Loyola traded buckets for the first few minutes. The Gold Nuggets built a five-point lead at 30-25, but Sandra Cannady pulled the Pack back within two with a straightaway triple. XULA got a layup to stretch the lead to four, but Taylor Thomas hit pair of layups to tie the game at 32-32, and Libby Thompson drilled a three to give the Pack its first lead of the game at 35-34. After a barrage of free throws to end the period, the game was tied 39-39 through 30 minutes. 

Xavier had a strong start to the fourth quarter, scoring the first nine points before Thomas nailed a corner three at the 4:16 mark, cutting the home lead to six at 48-42. But the Pack ran out of time to complete the comeback as the Gold Nuggets took the victory. 

Pack Facts

• Taylor Thomas returned from injury to put up 14 points in 20 minutes off the bench. 

• Deniya Thornton had a season high in steals with five while also scoring 14. It's the freshman's third game in double figures this season. 

• Sandra Cannady led the team in rebounds (7) and assists (3) while scoring seven off the bench. 

• Libby Thompson had three points, a rebound, and a block in her Wolf Pack debut. 

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