Dukes Down Women’s Basketball in 67-55 Loss

Loyola women’s basketball had their six game win streak snapped in a 67-55 loss to Duquesne University Feb. 11. Despite forcing 27 turnovers, the Dukes 18 point halftime lead was too much for the Ramblers to overcome. Loyola was led by first-year guard and forward Alex-Anne Bessette with 14 points while Duquesne first-year guard Alexis Bordas posted a game high 19 points.

Bessette started the game with a steal before turning the ball over, leading to second-year forward Brooklyn Vaughn fouling third-year guard Reina Green, who sank both shots. Vaughn made up for the foul with a tip-in following a Bessette miss. Bordas hit a layup in the paint for the lead before graduate guard Alexus Mobley put the Ramblers ahead on a three.

Second-year Dukes forward Harriet Ford followed with a layup for the lead, met by a jumper from first-year Nevaeh Dickman. A 3-pointer for Duquesne second-year forward Mackenzie reinstated the Dukes lead before second-year forward Alexa Kinas sank a jumper for Loyola’s last basket of the quarter with two minutes remaining. 

The Dukes took advantage of the cold stretch, ending the quarter on a 6-0 run, courtesy of a layup from Bordas, a free throw by Green and a three-point play by redshirt second-year guard Gabby Grantham-Medley for a 15-9 lead to end the first.

Bordas opened the quarter with a jumper, met by a Bessette layup. Duquesne put up five straight off two free throws from first-year forward Raevin Washington and a three from Blackford. Bessette scored four straight on a layup and tip-in, followed by a Bordas three and layup, matched by a Mobley lay-in. 

Fourth-year guard Kira Chivers sank a 3-pointer, followed by six in a row from the Dukes on a layup by second-year center Maja Rohkohl and a four-point play by Grantham-Medley after being fouled by Mobley.

Kinas connected on consecutive jumpers offset by one from Green. Kinas’ second jump shot was Loyola’s last points off the half, again with over two minutes to play. The Dukes ended the half on a 7-0 run with two foul shots from Bordas, two from Grantham-Medley and a Grantham-Medley three at the buzzer for a 42-24 lead at halftime.

Kinas opened the third quarter with a layup, met by a three from Blackford. The Ramblers held the Dukes offense at bay, shutting them out for six minutes as they mounted an eight point run on three Bessette layups and a Mobley jumper to make it 45-34 .

A two point Loyola cold snap kept the Duquesne lead at 11 before Bordas connected on a three and Green and Blackford made layups to unravel the Rambler comeback. A final layup by Mobley off a Chivers steal ended the quarter as Loyola trailed 52-36.

A Kinas block forced a shot clock violation to start the fourth quarter before Vaughn hit a paint jumper. Blackford and Bordas hit consecutive threes split by a Vaughn free throw as their lead grew to 19. Third-year guard Audrey Deptula made two free throws before Blackford buried another 3-pointer. 

Grantham-Medley followed with a layup for the Dukes before a three-point play by Kinas and a layup by Bessette. Green hit two free throws after being fouled by Chivers, offset by another two foul shots for Deptula. Both offenses went cold with four minutes left in the quarter with the score at 65-48.

Second-year guard Kendall Hendrix hit a jumper, followed by a layup and free throw from Mobley. The deficit proved too large to overcome as a jumper by Green and two foul shots by Chivers closed a 67-55 win for the Dukes.

After the game, head coach Allison Guth said the team didn’t perform their game plan well, allowing Duquesne’s top scorers to take over the game.

“We didn’t execute from the start and had a tough first half,” Guth said. “You have to give Duquesne a lot of credit. They have two players we were really focused on and trying to run off the line, but we didn’t execute our scout with enough intention.”

Loyola returns home Valentine’s Day, Saturday Feb. 14 at 6 p.m. for Senior Day, where they’ll face Saint Joseph’s University. Streaming will be available on ESPN+.