Wolf Pack wins at Dillard

NEW ORLEANS – After playing a couple of games in Arkansas last week, the Loyola Wolf Pack women's basketball team made the trip across town to take on Dillard University for their third straight game away from home. Loyola won all three road games, too, capping it off with a 79-71 win over the Bleu Devils on Monday. 
 

The Wolf Pack will return to The Den later this week, matching up with Texas A&M-Texarkana on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. and Keiser on Saturday at 4 p.m.
 

Loyola didn't allow Dillard to score for the first three-and-a-half minutes of the game, but the Wolf Pack only had two points during that stretch thanks to two MG Lymon free throws. Libby Thompson and Deniya Thornton each scored after that to give the Pack a 6-4 lead at the halfway point of the opening quarter. Scores by Bria McClure and Thornton answered every Dillard attempt to take the lead, then Alexis Babineaux made two shots to give Loyola a 15-12 lead by the end of the frame. 
 

Thornton and the Wolf Pack started the second quarter on fire, using a quick 9-0 run to jump out to a double-digit lead. To get things started, Thornton laid in an alley-oop pass from McClure and scored an easy fast-break basket after picking off a Dillard pass. Caitlin Travis scored her first two points after that, then McClure drained a 3-pointer after a steal to push the lead to 24-12 after a minute and a half of play. Dillard answered with a 9-0 run as well to bring its deficit back down to three, 24-21. A 3 by Thornton and another score from Thompson held the Bleu Devils back for a moment, but they were still able to make it a one-point game, 29-28, with three minutes until halftime. Travis scored four points down the stretch, though, making it a 35-29 game at the break. 
 

Kate Thompson and Alissa O'Dell both scored their first points in the early going of the third quarter, 39-30. Thornton gave the Wolf Pack another double-digit lead, 43-33, a couple of minutes later, and Travis made the advantage 12, 47-35, with six minutes on the clock. The two teams matched shot for shot during the next couple of minutes, as six points by Travis helped Loyola take a 55-46 lead into the fourth quarter. 
 

Dillard started the final 10-minute frame with a 10-1 run to tie the game, 56-56. Scores by Thornton and Lymon put the Pack back up by four, but the Bleu Devils made two 3s to take their first second-half lead, 63-61, with four and a half minutes remaining. Travis scored four straight to regain the lead, then Thornton added five quick points to make it a four-point game again, 70-66, with two-plus minutes left. Kate Thompson and Lymon combined to score the game's next nine points, to give Loyola the edge. 
 

Pack Facts

• Deniya Thornton led all scorers with 23 points while playing all 40 minutes in one of her most complete games at Loyola. 

• Thornton logged her second double-double of the season (23 points, 13 rebounds) while going 9-of-15 from the field and 3-of-3 from three-point range. She also recorded four assists, three steals, and two blocks. 

• Caitlin Travis had her best offensive game of the season, putting up a season-high 19 points plus seven rebounds and two assists. 

• MG Lymon logged double-digit points for the fifth time in the last six games, sinking all nine of her attempts at the free throw line to finish with 13 points, plus a game-high five assists and six rebounds. 

• Off the bench, Bria McClure hit a three, scored five total points, and grabbed three steals. 

• Loyola has won its last eight women's basketball games against Dillard dating back to the 2018 season. 

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