Women’s basketball beats Faulkner at SSAC Championship

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Loyola Wolf Pack women's basketball team took on Faulkner (Ala.) in the first round of the SSAC Championship on Thursday. The Maroon and Gold won Thursday's matchup over the Faulkner Eagles, 69-59, to advance to the semifinal round of the tournament.

With the win, the Wolf Pack will head to the semifinal round of the SSAC Championship for the 12th year in a row. The Pack awaits the winner of the quarterfinal matchup between No. 3 Mobile (Ala.) and No. 6 Life (Ga.). At the Multiplex in Montgomery, Alabama, the Wolf Pack will take on the winner on Friday, Feb. 28, at 5 p.m.

Caitlin Travis scored Loyola's first points to start the game with Kate Thompson sinking a layup soon after, 4-0. After Faulkner got on the board, Thompson hit a jumper, then Alissa O'Dell followed it up with a score to stay in front, 8-7. Thompson knocked down a 3-pointer to bolster Loyola's edge, 11-7. Once the Eagles got within one, MG Lymon drained back-to-back triples to remain ahead in the contest, 17-13. 

Thompson made a basket, once again, just before Joclyen Wyatt completed a three-point play, 22-16. Wyatt ended the first quarter with a trey to give the Pack an eight-point advantage, 25-17. The graduate student began the second frame in the same way she ended the first by scoring another triple, 28-17. After Faulkner managed to slice Loyola's lead, a third 3-pointer from Wyatt put the Pack ahead by eight, 33-25. Travis closed the half with two buckets to keep the Wolf Pack in front, 37-30.

The first five minutes of the third quarter were marked by strong defense from both teams for a total of nine points combined, 40-36. The Eagles cut Loyola's advantage to three, but free throws from Deniya Thornton and a layup by Travis pushed the lead to seven, 44-37. Faulkner found a lead to close the third quarter, taking a 45-44 edge.

Scores by Thornton and O'Dell put the Pack back in the driver's seat in the early going of the fourth frame, 50-45. Faulkner got within one soon after, but a jumper from Travis extended the lead to three, 53-50. Lymon added a free throw, then O'Dell made a jumper to put the Pack up four with four minutes left, 56-52. After Thompson made two shots at the foul line, O'Dell scored again to get the Pack closer to victory, 60-52. The Pack cruised to the win from there, out-scoring Faulkner 25-14 in the final period to secure a 69-59 victory in the first round of the SSAC Championship.

Pack Facts

• Loyola has now reached at least the semifinals of the SSAC Championship in each of the last 12 seasons. 

• Loyola out-scored Faulkner by eight points in the first quarter (25-17) and 11 points in the fourth (25-14).

• The Wolf Pack had five different players reach double figures in scoring Thursday, with Caitlin Travis leading the way at 15 points. 

• The Pack out-rebounded Faulkner 50-38, with Alissa O'Dell accounting for 16 of those rebounds. It's a new career high in rebounds for O'Dell, who also put up 14 points for her sixth double-double of the year. 

• Joclyen Wyatt knocked down three 3-pointers as part of a 12-point night, with all of her scoring coming in the first half. 

• MG Lymon and Kate Thompson each scored 11 points. Lymon also collected four assists and two steals, Thompson two blocks, and the pair each pulled down six rebounds. 

• Deniya Thornton didn't get to double figures in scoring, but she did have a game-high six assists and five rebounds. 

SSAC Championship Schedule

Wednesday, Feb. 26 at the Multiplex
Game 1 | #8 Blue Mountain def. #9 Point, 55-44
Game 2 | #7 Faulkner def.  #10 Thomas, 73-61

Thursday, Feb. 27 at the Multiplex
Game 3 | #4 UT Southern def. #5 Brewton-Parker, 68-63
Game 4 | 12:30p | #8 Blue Mountain def. #1 William Carey, 60-57
Game 5 | #2 Loyola def. #7 Faulkner, 69–59
Game 6 | #3 Mobile def. #6 Life, 55-49

Friday, Feb. 28 at the Multiplex
Game 7 | 1:00p | #4 UT Southern vs. #8 Blue Mountain
Game 8 | 5:00p | #2 Loyola 5 vs. #3 Mobile


Saturday, Mar. 1 at the Multiplex
Championship Game | 4:00p