Cardiac Blers’ Comeback for 47-42 Win at Fordham

Loyola women’s basketball won their fifth straight game in a 47-42 win at Fordham University to move to .500 for the first time this season since the team was 1-1. The fifth straight win marked the longest streak under head coach Allison Guth at Loyola. The Ramblers were led by 17 points from graduate guard Alexus Mobley, while the Rams saw 13 points from fourth-year forward Emma Wilson-Saltos.

Mobley opened the game with a pair of free throws a minute and a half in. The lead was quickly stolen by a tip-in three-point play from Wilson-Saltos. Loyola moved back in front off a Mobley layup and 3-pointer from second-year guard Alexa Kinas. Graduate Ram guard Tia Morgan splashed in a three of her own before Kinas brought the lead back to three with a lay-in.

The Ramblers offense went ice cold from there, not scoring another point for the last five and a half minutes of the quarter. Fordham took advantage with Wilson-Saltos scoring a tip-in, Morgan knocking down a three for the lead, and Wilson-Saltos tacking on a jumper to end the first with a 13-9 lead.

Loyola’s cold stretch continued as third-year guard Lakresha Edwards added a layup for a six point advantage. Neither team scored for the next three minutes until Kinas took a steal cross court for a score for the first Rambler basket in nine minutes. 

Second-year Fordham forward Precious Omoshola added on to their lead with a free throw before first-year guard and forward Alex-Anne Bessette nailed a 3-pointer. Wilson-Saltos followed with a layup for an 18-14 lead, neither side scoring in the remaining three minutes of the half.

Wilson-Saltos opened the third quarter with a layup as Mobley matched with a steal and score. The Rams went on a 6-0 run from there, with fourth-year forward Kaila Berry sinking two free throws, first-year guard Carryn Easley making a tip-in and fourth-year guard Alexis Black adding a layup for a 26-16 lead.

Mobley muscled Loyola back into the game with a quick steal, driving all the way to the basket for a layup, followed by a three from third-year guard Rosalie Mercille. Omoshola added a free throw before Mobley made back-to-back layups to cut the lead to 27-25. 

Easley knocked down a jumper for the final Fordham basket of the quarter as Loyola completed their comeback with two Mobley free throws and another Mercille 3-pointer for a 30-29 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Morgan put Fordham in front to start the fourth on a three as both teams went cold, not scoring until six minutes were left in the quarter with Mobley tying the game on a layup. Kinas knabbed a steal and finished a layup for the lead, followed by a free throw from Mobley and a fading jumper from Kinas at the shot clock buzzer with an ensuing Jordan shrug for the 37-32 lead. 

Wilson-Saltos ended the Rambler run with a jumper of her own before second-year forward Brooklyn Vaughn matched with a layup. Fourth-year guard Kira Chivers put the lead at eight on a corner three, as Black added two for Fordham at the stripe. A three from Black put Loyola’s lead down to three as the Rambler took a timeout.

Kinas was fouled, sinking one of two attempts as Black sank another quick three to make it 43-42. Chivers was fouled, sinking both as Edwards missed the Rams’ chance to tie on a three, forcing Black to foul out of the game, ripping her jersey and leaving the court. 

Kinas connected on two more free throws to end the game in Loyola’s favor, 47-42.

Guth praised the team’s toughness to continue battling after overcoming a 10-point deficit in the third quarter.

“We got a gritty win against Fordham,” Guth said. “I thought they outcompeted us for much of the first three quarters, but our effort late in the third really stood out as we started stringing together possessions and slowed them down with a matchup zone.”

The Ramblers return home Saturday, Feb. 7  at 2 p.m. to take on Virginia Commonwealth University for National Girls and Women in Sports Day. Streaming will be available on Marquee Sports Network.