Loyola falls to last-second shot at Brewton-Parker

MOUNT VERNON, Ga. – After holding a lead for the majority of Monday's road game at Brewton-Parker, the Loyola Wolf Pack women's basketball team dropped a tough conference matchup, 61-59, as the Lady Barons converted a layup with time expiring.

The Pack (12-9, 6-4 SSAC) now returns to New Orleans for a three-game homestand, beginning with conference newcomers Abraham Baldwin (Ga.) on Thursday, Jan. 30, at 5:30 p.m. 

Loyola got off to a good start Monday morning, with a basket from Deniya Thornton and a three from Caitlin Travis putting the Pack up 5-0 after the game's first minute. Alissa O'Dell was next with a layup, and she'd go on to score six points in the quarter, but Brewton-Parker kept things close, as the Pack led by just two points, 22-20, after one period. 

Joclyen Wyatt got the scoring going in the second frame, making a free throw, layup, and three-pointer within the first few minutes. Late in the first half, Libby Thompson's second three-pointer got Loyola's lead to double digits at 37-27. That shot was part of a 6-0 run to close the half, as another make from Alexis Babineaux sent the Wolf Pack into the halftime break with a 40-27 lead. 

After halftime, the Lady Barons started to cut into the Wolf Pack lead. Thornton hit a pair of free throws, and O'Dell a layup, to bring Loyola's advantage to its largest at 15 points, 44-29, just a minute and a half into the third quarter. Brewton-Parker then went on an 11-point scoring run, most of which came at the free-throw line, to cut the visiting lead to 44-40 by the four-minute mark of the quarter. 

Travis and Kate Thompson each converted three-point plays to stretch the lead back out to eight, 50-42, just before the start of the final period. They kept the Wolf Pack in front for much of the fourth, with Thompson sinking a pair of layups and Travis another old-fashioned three-point play to make it 57-50. The Lady Barons then went on another run, scoring nine straight to go up 59-57. Thompson tied things at 59-59 with free throws, but Brewton-Parker was able to get off a layup just in time to end the game. 

Pack Facts

• Kate Thompson scored a season-high 15 points, adding seven rebounds and two blocks in 26 minutes. 

• Caitlin Travis was second in scoring with 13 points.

• Deniya Thornton led the  team in assists with four, also contributing seven points, five rebounds, two steals, and a block. 

• Alissa O'Dell tied for a game high with 11 rebounds to go along with eight points. 

• Off the bench, Libby Thompson made half of the team's three-pointers, going 2-for-2 from deep.