The Phoenix rise over the Ramblers in 82-48 defeat

Loyola women’s basketball suffered a 82-48 loss against the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay following an abysmal display of defense. The Phoenix scored 44 points in the paint and shot 47.3% from the field as the Ramblers scored 12 and had 32.7% in fielding shooting.

Second-year guard MD Ntambue got the game started with a layup in the first minute for a 2-0 Rambler lead before Green Bay third-year guard McKenna Johnson shot one of her own in the paint to tie the game at two.

Scoring off a fastbreak, second-year guard and forward Kristina Ouimette shot a 3-pointer two minutes into play. Fourth-year guard Rosalie Mercille was quick to match it, sinking a three of her own to keep the board level.

Offense remained stagnant for two minutes before third-year forward Gabby Wilke made it off the bench to net a layup for the Ramblers — ultimately scoring nine of the 18 points made from the bench. A foul on Green Bay redshirt fourth-year guard Elisa Mevius sent third-year forward Brooklyn Vaughn to the line where she sank one of two free throws. 

The Phoenix denied Loyola a comfortable lead as they proceeded with an 11-point run. Ouimette dropped in a jumper for two while graduate guard Maddy Skorupski and redshirt third-year forward and center Meghan Schultz both hit layups. A foul on Wilke gave Skorupski the chance to score a free throw before she netted a fastbreak layup. Schultz added two to the board off a shot in the paint for a 16-8 lead.

Loyola would be playing catch-up for the rest of the game as Green Bay only continued to widen the gap. Second-year forward Angela Le Faou sank a three before third-year guard Kendall Hendrix was fouled, sending Skorupski to the line for a successful trip. 

With a minute on the clock, Mercille and Le Faou saw consecutive fouls, allowing first-year guard and forward Ady Ketterhagen to sink one of two and redshirt third-year guard Maren Westin to drop two in successfully, putting Green Bay up by 10.

A foul on Ketterhagen sent second-year guard Mireia Jurado to the line where she netted two, ending the first quarter 21-13 with the Phoenix in the lead.

La Faou was quick to drain a three and Shultz made it in the paint to hit a layup. A jumper from Jurado gave the Ramblers two more, but a foul on Hendrix sent Sorupski to the line to negate it with two successful free throws.

Ntambue sank a 3-pointer and Ketterhagen responded with a layup for Green Bay. Mercille was fouled, allowing Ketterhagen to score one at the line. Second-year guard Jasmine Perry came off the bench to hit a jumper, bringing the Ramblers within five.

Ketterhagen was sent to the line after a foul on first-year forward Gemma Wichmann, managing to score only the second of two free throws. Westin made it in the paint for a layup and then added one from the line after Vaughn was fouled, making it 32-23.

With three minutes on the clock, Green Bay held down Loyola’s offense, going on a 12-point run.

Ouimette, Schultz and Westin beat Loyola’s defense as all three landed layups in the paint. After a missed jumper from Jurado, Shultz grabbed the rebound for Green Bay as third-year forward Gracie Grzesk snatched the ball for a fastbreak layup.

Another Le Faou foul put Schultz on the line for two good free throws before she scored a layup, widening the Rambler deficit with a 44-23 lead.

The third quarter began with an Ouimette 3-pointer, scoring off a fastbreak. Johnson drained another three for Green Bay before Loyola had a shot at the net with a Jurado layup.

A six-point run ensued for the Phoenix as Shultz, Johnson and fourth-year forward Jorey Buwalda all sank layups in the paint. Wilke netted two of her own to add four to Loyola’s board.

Johnson was sent to the line following a foul on Mercille, allowing Green Bay to notch two more. A rebound off a missed Phoenix layup gave Wichmann the opportunity to hit a 3-pointer. With under two minutes left, Shultz dropped in a layup and a foul on Ntambue put Skorupski on the line for two successful free throws.

Despite the 27-point deficit, the Ramblers were quick to score going into the fourth quarter. Wilke netted a three from beyond the arc and Mercille scored two free throws following a foul on Skorupski, who negated the play with a layup.

A foul on Hendrix gave Skorupski a shot at the line before Jurado made it down the court for a jumper. Another Jurado layup put the Ramblers within 24 before Buwalda added two layups of her own to keep Loyola down 69-41.

The final four minutes on the clock were scrappy as Buwalda and Westin each added one from the line following fouls on Jurado and Ntambue. Two more Loyola fouls on Jurado and Wilke gave Green Bay four as Ketterhagen and Johnson had successful trips at the line.

Ketterhagen was fouled, sending Wichmann up to shoot two for Loyola. First-year guard and forward Lillie Johnson had a layup off a rebound before Ntambue was fouled and Ketterhagen added one. Fouls on first-year forward Kyrin Lile and Perry allowed Wichmann to score two for two free throws, with Ouimette matching them.

Mercille netted the last shot for the Ramblers with a 3-pointer while redshirt third-year forward Sophie Lahti notched a layup, topping off Green Bay’s 82-48 victory.

Despite the loss, Head Coach Morgan Paige reflected positively on the outcome and credited Jurado for her skill on the field, leading the Ramblers with 10 points against the Phoenix. 

“Tonight was a tough game against a Sweet 16-level opponent,” Paige said. “We showed glimpses of competitive effort and what we can be when we execute the game plan. [Jurado] continues to be a consistent offensive presence for us as she stays aggressive on each catch and finds way to impact the game.”

The Ramblers will return home for a matchup against Arkansas State University Nov. 11 with tipoff scheduled for 7 p.m. and streaming available on ESPN+.