Women’s basketball continues to receive votes in NAIA Top 25

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Loyola Wolf Pack women's basketball team remains outside of the NAIA Top 25 but received votes for the third consecutive NAIA Women's Basketball Top 25 Poll. The newest poll, released Wednesday, gives the Pack 47 total points, which is eight more than the previous poll in mid-December but 52 points behind Southeastern (Fla.), which sits at No. 25. 

Three other SSAC teams joined Loyola in receiving votes in the poll: William Carey, Tennessee Southern, and Faulkner, with Carey checking in at 19th in the rankings with a 14-0 record. 

So far this season, Loyola has compiled a 12-2 overall record, including a 4-1 mark in SSAC play, with the only conference loss coming against William Carey. The Wolf Pack is in the midst of an eight-game winning streak, dating back to a November 25 win over Dillard. Loyola has won four conference games in that period (Blue Mountain, UT Southern, Mobile, Faulkner) and four non-conference (Warner, Arkansas Baptist, and Dillard twice). 

Recently named NAIA and SSAC Player of the Week, Deniya Thornton has led the Wolf Pack in points (18.4) steals (2.9) per game all season. She also holds team highs this season in three-pointers (18), free throws (65), blocks (10), offensive rebounds (35). Alissa O'Dell continues to lead the team in rebounds per game (8.9) while also averaging nearly 15 points per game. Caitlin Travis (12.0) and SeQuoia Carroll (10.6) both also average double figures in scoring, and Chandler Caver's 3.5 assists per game rank in the top five in the SSAC. 

The Wolf Pack will look to continue their hot stretch in a conference road trip to Georgia, facing Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College on Thursday and Thomas University on Saturday.