No. 22 Loyola earns home win over Dillard

NEW ORLEANS – The No. 22 Loyola University New Orleans women's basketball team got back in the win column Tuesday evening with a 70-61 win over Dillard in The Den. The Wolf Pack (5-2, 0-1 in SSAC) will return to the court next week when they travel to Blue Mountain Christian on Thursday, Dec. 4. The Southern States Athletic Conference matchup is scheduled to tip off at 5:30 p.m.
 

Loyola shot a blistering 60 percent from the field in the first quarter (9-of-15), but Dillard used 11 offensive rebounds to keep pace with the Wolf Pack. 
 

Chandler Caver made her first two shots to score four of Loyola's first six points, but Dillard led 7-6 after the first two and a half minutes of play. A 10-0 run for Loyola that featured three points each from Deniya Thornton and Tiarra McPipe pushed its lead to nine, 16-7, halfway through the frame. Alissa O'Dell and Thornton combined for six points while holding the Bleu Devils to 2-of-10 shooting during the final five minutes to take a 22-17 advantage into the second quarter. 
 

The Wolf Pack used another solid shooting quarter in the second to create a little separation by halftime, 38-28. They went 6-for-11 from the field and forced seven Dillard turnovers, outscoring the Bleu Devils 16-11 in the frame. 
 

Tiana Smith hit a 3-pointer to start things, then Thornton scored two quick buckets, the latter after a steal, to make the lead 29-17. Dillard cut it to seven, 29-22, a couple of minutes later, then O'Dell and Caitlin Travis hit consecutive shots to make it a double-digit lead again. Dillard only made more field goals down the stretch as well. 
 

Dillard made a strong push in the third quarter to cut its deficit to three, 52-49, heading into the fourth quarter. 
 

After being outscored 21-14 in the third, Smith quickly gave Loyola the momentum back with a 3 to start the fourth quarter, 55-49. Thornton scored twice, and Caver made two free throws to build another double-digit lead, 61-51, but again, Dillard answered with six straight near the halfway point of the final quarter. O'dell herself equaled Dillard's point total during the final four-plus minutes of the game to secure the win for the Wolf Pack. 
 

Pack Facts

• In her highest scoring game of the season, Alissa O'Dell led the Pack with 20 points on 10-of-17 from the field. 

• Deniya Thornton was second in scoring with 18 points, adding eight rebounds and five steals. 

• In her second official start, Tiarra McPipe led the Wolf Pack in rebounding with 12 boards, four of which were on the offensive end, plus nine points. 

• Chandler Caver dished out a game-high seven assists while logging her first double-digit scoring game at Loyola (11 points). 

• Off the bench, Addison Luker set a new collegiate career high with five assists, all of which came in the first half. 
   

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