NEW ORLEANS – The Loyola Wolf Pack women's basketball headed across Freret Street Wednesday night to take on Tulane in an exhibition for both teams, as the Green Wave prevailed 80-53. Loyola led for 15:24 of the first half, but Tulane pulled away for good once it took the lead late in the second quarter.
Loyola returns to regular-season play next week when it hosts its first set of home games in The Den. The Wolf Pack will take on LSU Alexandria on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. and No. 22 LSU Shreveport on Saturday at 2 p.m.
Loyola got off to a good start with a 7-0 lead and held the Green Wave scoreless through the first four minutes of play. The Wolf Pack defense forced three turnovers during that span, and SeQuoia Carroll grabbed four defensive rebounds to limit Tulane's time on the offensive end. Offensively, Chandler Caver scored Loyola's first point from the free throw line, Alissa O'Dell made two shots in the paint, and Caitlin Travis made a long field goal. After the Green Wave scored their first points, Deniya Thornton quickly answered to give the Pack a 9-2 lead four minutes into the game.
Thornton drained two 3s and Travis made another jumper to maintain the early lead, 17-13, then Thornton scored again after an offensive rebound, 20-16. After Tulane took its first lead, 21-20, Carroll converted an old-fashioned 3-point play to send the Wolf Pack into the second quarter with a 23-21 lead.
A steal-and-score by Thornton fended off another Green Wave attempt to flip the score, then Travis hit a 3 to put the Pack up 28-23 two-plus minutes into the second frame. Thornton and O'Dell made back-to-back shots, with O'Dell's being an and-1, 33-26, and O'Dell got on the board again to keep it a seven-point lead, 35-28, at the 5:25 mark. After Carroll made a 3, 38-30, for Loyola's largest lead, the Green Wave scored the final 12 points of the first half to go ahead 42-38 at the break.
Thornton scored the first points of the second half for either team, but nine straight for the Green Wave put the hosts up 51-40 at the 5:30 mark. Thornton ended the scoring drought with a 3, putting her at 19 points in the game, then Tulane extended its advantage to double figures, 54-43, with less than four minutes to go in the quarter. The Green Wave would eventually take a 64-45 lead into the fourth quarter.
Loyola continued to battle in the fourth, as Tiana Smith scored her first points. Tulane outscored the Wolf Pack 16-8 en route to its win.
Notable Stats
Deniya Thornton: 23 PTS, 7 REBS, 2 ASTS, 2 STLS, 1 BLK
Alissa O'Dell: 11 PTS, 3 REBS
Caitlin Travis: 9 PTS, 2 BLKS, 2 ASTS, 2 STLS
SeQuoia Carroll: 6 PTS, 8 REBS, 2 STLS
Tiana Smith: 2 PTS, 5 REBS
Tiarra McPipe: 3 REBS
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