No. 4 seed Wolf Pack defeats Milligan in first round of NAIA nationals

GEORGETOWN, Ky. — Freshman forward Tiarra McPipe scored a season-high 20 points Friday to lead Loyola University New Orleans in an 87-79 victory against Milligan in the first round of the 2026 NAIA Women's Basketball National Championship, presented by Ballogy.

The Wolf Pack — 25-4 and a No. 4 seed — will play host Georgetown College at 1:30 p.m. CDT Saturday, and a live video broadcast will be free online at Urban Edge Network. The Loyola-Georgetown winner will advance to the NAIA's final 16 at Sioux City, Iowa; competition there will begin Thursday, March 19.
 

McPipe did not start but was 10-of-14 from the floor in 23 minutes with five rebounds, one block and one steal. McPipe's accuracy was contagious — the Wolf Pack shot a season-high 57.6 percent from the floor.
 

"Tiarra is just so hard to guard at every level," said Kellie Kennedy, Loyola's 18th-year head coach. "It doesn't matter if we post her up or give her the ball at the high post. She just has this innate ability to score the basketball, and it's special." 
 

Deniya Thornton's layup at 4:07 of the third quarter put Loyola ahead to stay, 50-48, and started a 10-0 run. Milligan never got closer than five points thereafter.
 

McPipe was one of four from Loyola to score 15-or-more points. Alissa O'Dell (8-of-10 floor) scored 17 points, Thornton scored 16, and Caitlin Travis scored 15. The Wolf Pack — led by Thornton's nine rebounds, O'Dell's seven and Ava Shields' six — outrebounded the Buffaloes 41-30.
 

Milligan was 30th in the NAIA in 3-point accuracy at 33.2 percent, but Loyola limited the Buffaloes to 22.6 percent (7-of-31). "We did a good job defending Milligan on the perimeter," Kennedy said.
 

Loyola led for 35 1/2 minutes, including 40-32 at halftime.
 

Pack Facts

• Loyola ended Milligan's 10-game win streak. 

• Loyola shot at least 52.9 percent from the floor in every quarter — 72.7 percent (8-of-11) in the third. 

• Loyola reached 25 victories for the third time in four seasons and the ninth time overall.

• Alissa O'Dell scored in double figures for the 16th time in the last 17 games.

• Loyola and Georgetown will meet for the second time in three years at nationals. The Wolf Pack won 79-74 at home in the 2024 second round. 

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