No. 14 LSUS defeats No. 13 Loyola Sunday

SHREVEPORT, La. – Deniya Thornton's 38-point game wasn't enough for the 13th-ranked Loyola Wolf Pack on Sunday, losing at No. 14 LSU Shreveport, 66-65, in both team's season opener. The Wolf Pack will play their second game of a road back-to-back on Monday, taking on LSU Alexandra at 12 p.m. 
 

The Wolf Pack started the season hot by going 6-for-7 from the field, including 4-for-4 shooting from Thornton, to give Loyola a 14-6 lead three and a half minutes into the game. Thornton made two 3s during that opening stretch, and Caitlin Travis and Alissa O'Dell added field goals before the Pilots called an early timeout. Thornton sank four of her 10 first-quarter free throws after that, 18-6, and the six other made shots from the charity stripe came during the next few minutes to bring the lead to 25-16. Loyola eventually took a 27-16 lead into the second quarter. 
 

Both teams struggled to score to start the next period, as they combined for eight points through the first five minutes to make it a 29-22 ballgame. Travis made a couple of shots after that, but the Pilots hung around, 33-27, in the first half's final minutes. Thornton capped off her 24-point first half with two more free throws to bring the score to 35-28 at the break. 
 

Thornton scored five quick points to start the second half, but the Pilots were still able to chip into the lead, 42-39, halfway through the third quarter. MG Lymon and Bria McClure got on the board to briefly hold LSUS at-bay, but the hosts were still able to tie the game, 46-46, with three minutes left in the frame. LSUS took the lead twice down the stretch, but Loyola tied, 50-50, heading to the fourth quarter. 
 

LSUS scored the first four points of the fourth, but a free throw by Travis and three more points from Thornton tied it back up, 54-54, with six-plus minutes left in the game. The two teams trading 3s, Loyola's coming from Lymon, continued the back-and-forth play, and a steal-and-score by Thornton briefly gave the Wolf Pack the lead before the Pilots tied the game once again, 59-59. 
 

LSUS went back up by four, 64-60, then two free throws by Lymon and a 3 by Thornton put Loyola back ahead by one, 65-64, with two minutes on the clock. The Pilots answered on their next possession, 66-65, and neither team scored in the final 1:44 as the home team won the big early-season matchup. 
 

Pack Facts

• Deniya Thornton started the game hot, putting up 20 points in the first quarter alone. Thornton finished with 38 points, the most for any Wolf Pack player since Zoie Miller scored 39 on Jan. 27, 2018.

• Thornton was 10-of-14 from the floor, including 4-of-7 from 3-point range, and 14-of-16 from the free-throw line. 

• Caitlin Travis also scored in double figures, ending with 11 points.