VCU’s Second Quarter Run Stumps Women’s Basketball in 62-44 Loss

The Loyola women’s basketball team dropped a home game against Atlantic 10 opponent Virginia Commonwealth University Jan. 8. At the end of the 62-44 matchup, fourth-year guard Jess Finney led the Ramblers with 17 points, while VCU second-year guards Zoli Khalil and Mary-Anna Asare both recorded 18 apiece.

Graduate forward Mykel Parham grabbed the opening tipoff for the Rams, and Khalil scored two possessions later with a three. Third-year guard and forward Emma Theodorsson was the first Rambler on the score sheet with a layup.

Quick scores — a free throw from Khalil and a layup from Asare — gave VCU an initial 6-2 lead, but Loyola snatched it back as an and-one layup from Theodorsson and a three from Finney made it 8-6.

Two free throws from graduate forward Sitori Tanin gave the Ramblers a four-point lead, which grew to six after a successful trip at the line by Finney ended a two-minute scoring drought.

A baseline jumper from Parham and a lone free throw by first-year guard Alexa Kinas preceded another short drought, before a free throw in the first quarter’s dying seconds by graduate guard Naelle Bernard gave the Ramblers a 14-8 lead.

A layup by Khalil opened the second quarter, before first-year forward Brooklyn Vaughn, Parham and Finney all converted on layups in the following two minutes for an 18-12 Loyola lead.

Kinas hit two more free throws to make it 20-12 before a timeout was called on the floor. It was all VCU over the half’s final five minutes.

A 12-point run was initiated with free throws — one from graduate guard Jennifer Ezeh and two from Parham — alongside layups by redshirt fourth-year guard Grace Hutson and Khalil. Asare added another five points from a layup and three pointer, completely wiping any Loyola momentum for a 24-20 VCU lead.

The Rams kept up the offensive attack to start the third quarter, scoring six points with layups from Asare, Parham and Khalil establishing a 30-20 lead three minutes in. The run eventually came to an end after Theodorsson sank a three-point shot.

Two free throws from Parham were negated by a layup by Tanin, and Khalil hit a lone free throw. A stepback three-pointer by Theodorsson was answered immediately with two threes from Asare, preserving and extending VCU’s 39-28 lead.

Finney and Theodorsson continued to battle for the Ramblers, as one free throw from Finney and two from Theodorsson attempted to match a layup from Ezeh and a three-point shot from VCU’s first-year guard Cyriah Griffin.

With three minutes remaining in the third quarter, Ezeh was successful at the line, but the Ramblers managed a six-point run. Theodorsson hit a two and Finney recorded a three-point shot alongside a layup to cut into the 46-37 VCU lead.

Two free throws from first-year guard Kendall Hendrix gave Loyola the first points of the fourth quarter, but VCU quickly responded as Khalil drove in another layup. 

A two-minute scoring drought ended after Finney drove down the court and finished a layup following a defensive rebound. Asare was the next to score, hitting a 3-pointer.

Down just 10, the Ramblers watched five points run away from them as Ezeh sank two free throws and Khalil delivered a three.

Finney hit another three to make it 56-44 with two and a half minutes remaining, but that would be it for the Ramblers. Two free throws on separate trips by Khalil and two additional layups from second-year forward Lucia Soleto stamped a 62-44 final scoreline.

Despite committing seven fewer turnovers, the Ramblers shot and rebounded poorly — hitting only 24% of their total field goals, while getting outrebounded 42-24 by the Rams.

In a statement to Loyola Athletics, head coach Allison Guth said the team’s second quarter struggles highlighted the poor rebounding.

“In the second quarter, we were stuck at 20 points for — I don’t even know how long,” Guth said. “But we gave up a copious amount of points, including free throw rebounds, which are simply unacceptable in our program.”

With the loss, the Ramblers move to 10-6 on the season, 2-3 in conference play, and will remain at home Jan. 11 when they host Fordham University. The game is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start time and can be streamed on ESPN+.