Women’s basketball jumps four spots in latest Top 25

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Riding an 11-game winning streak, the Loyola Wolf Pack women's basketball team moved up four spots in the NAIA Coaches' Top 25 Poll on Wednesday. After going 6-0 since the last poll was released in December, the Pack moved up to No. 15 to match their placement in the first in-season poll published in November. 
 

Loyola started the season at No. 14 in the preseason poll, then moved to No. 15 and No. 19 during the first half of its season despite only losing one game. The team is currently 14-1 overall and 8-0 in Southern States Athletics Conference play. The Wolf Pack took down SSAC foes William Carey, Stillman, Life, Blue Mountain Christian and UT Southern, as well as non-conference rival Dillard since the December rankings were announced. 
 

Loyola is the only SSAC team in the Top 25 Poll or in the receiving votes category. 
 

Sandra Cannady and Taylor Thomas lead the Wolf Pack in scoring, averaging 17.1 and 13.5, respectively, and Canady also paces the team in rebounds with a 9.3 average. Cannady is second in the league in scoring and third in rebounding, as she's the only player in the SSAC averaging at least 16 points and nine rebounds. Her 54.5 field goal percentage is also third in the conference, and Bria McClure (42.9%) and Thomas (40%) are second and third in 3-point percentage as well. As a team, Loyola leads the SSAC in points per game (75.3), 3-point percentage (30.7%) and free throws made (18.7) and attempted (27.2). 
 

Loyola is back in The Den this week for two more SSAC matchups. First, Loyola will host Point University on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. before taking on Thomas University on Saturday at noon as part of the Wolf Pack Athletics Hall of Fame celebration that day.