Graduating Ramblers Win their Final Game in Gentile Arena

The Loyola women’s basketball team fought a tough battle against the University of Dayton Feb. 25 in Gentile Arena, defeating the Flyers 64-61 in a Senior Night win. 

Fourth-year guard Sam Galanopoulos led the Ramblers with 16 points, two assists and two rebounds, followed closely by fourth-year guard Alyssa Fisher who finished with 13 points and went 7-7 at the free throw line. Dayton’s third-year forward Arianna Smith recorded a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds in the Flyer’s loss. 

Before the game, Loyola head coach Allison Guth celebrated the graduating members of the women’s basketball program and Dayton’s graduating players. Galanopoulos, Fisher, Ali Berg, Sophia Nolan, Emma Nolan and Sitori Tanin were all honored as well as student managers Ashton Lozano and Brian Funk and practice player Tommy Villafana. 

Guth said she is proud of the graduating team members and their abilities to be leaders on and off the court. 

“I just think that this is a group of leaders,” Guth said. “It’s about the investment, it’s about the buy in. This is team number 45. Team 45 plays for the woman next door and that’s a difference.” 

The Ramblers struggled offensively early in the contest, only recording six points in the first quarter. A layup by fourth-year guard Emma Nolan, a mid-range jumper by fourth-year guard Sophia Nolan and two made free throws from fourth-year guard Galanopoulos and second-year guard Mallory Ramage were the only points Loyola could muster.

Dayton faced a similar struggle at first but trucked on with jumpers from Smith, second-year guard Nayo Lear and first-year guard Denika Lightbourne. A second chance made by Smith and a layup by third-year forward Shannon Wheeler gave the Flyers an 11-6 lead. 

Sophia Nolan scored the first points of the second quarter with a three and fourth-year guard Taisiya Kozlova answered with her own. Fourth-year forward Tanin recorded her first block of the night, finishing with a total of four, on an attempt by Lear. 

Second-year guard Kira Chivers made a layup through a Lightbourne foul and converted on the point. Graduate forward Mariah Perez and fourth-year guard and forward Berg traded layups. Redshirt fourth-year guard Destiny Bohanon made a 3-pointer before a timeout was called with Dayton ahead 21-14. 

Galanopoulos scored out of the break, making a layup. Fourth-year guard Anyssa Jones and Perez added five points to the Flyers’ board while Tanin blocked Lear’s attempt to increase the run. Chivers hit a 3 and Galanopoulos scored another layup before she made two at the free-throw line. 

Galanopoulos made one shot at the line before the buzzer sounded, sending the teams into their locker rooms with Dayton ahead 26-24. 

Wheeler, Fisher and Jones all made layups to open the third quarter and Tanin hit a turnaround jumper before Berg sank another three. Galanopoulos missed a layup attempt and was fouled by Wheeler but missed both shots at the line. 

Tanin scored a jumper while Wheeler answered the play with a 3-pointer before Jones and Fisher traded layups. Emma Nolan made one at the line before Lear caught the rebound and took it coast-to-coast for a layup.

Galanopoulos drove down the court to make a layup and Fisher missed her reverse layup attempt, being fouled in the process but redeemed herself by making two at the line, ending the third quarter at 43-42 in favor of the Flyers. 

Sophia Nolan gave Loyola the lead to start the final quarter with a 3-pointer. Wheeler tied it at 45 after making two free throws. Smith and Lear made layups before Tanin tricked the Dayton defense again, knocking down Flyers defenders and sending the ball in the net. 

Galanopoulos took the lead back for the Ramblers with a layup, which was short-lived as Lightbourne tied the game with a jumper. Galanopoulos stayed hot as she made a driving layup before a timeout was called with four minutes remaining.

Fisher went back to the line and made both before Chivers scored off of a rebound through tricky defense, bringing the crowd in Gentile Arena to their feet. 

Smith and Fisher made layups and Smith made two at the line after a Tanin foul. Tanin responded by making one on her trip, with the Ramblers leading 61-58 with 21 seconds left to play.

With tensions high and the time ticking, Galanopoulos blocked an attempt by Bohanon, who redeemed herself with a 3-pointer on the next Dayton possession at 63-61. Tanin ended the game at 64-61 after making one at the line, securing another Rambler win. 

Guth said despite the slow start, the Ramblers adjusted their game plan to take the lead and win the game. 

“Our team was trying to execute our game plan with our first five out,” Guth said. “It was taking aggressively long, waiting for one stagger screen before we made any movement. I thought we played just a little too much east-west. We say players make plays. It was our players taking initiative and saying we have to be aggressive a little bit in tempo of our offense.” 

The Ramblers are heading to the Atlantic 10 conference championship in Henrico, Virginia March 6-10 in search of a bid for the NCAA tournament. Loyola is currently seeded eighth with a conference record of 8-9, earning them a first round bye in the tournament. Streaming for the event has yet to be released.

Featured image by Megan Dunn | The Phoenix