Fourth Period Run Propels Ramblers in Regular Season Opener

Loyola women’s basketball opened their regular season with a 91-56 win over Kentucky State University in their annual “Loyolapalooza” event Nov. 4. In her regular season Loyola debut, graduate guard Naelle Bernard led the scoring in Gentile with 17 points — one of four players to reach double digits.

“I ended up the top scorer, but it’s not really something that matters at the end of the day,” Bernard said. “I just want to win — it could be anyone’s night at any time.”

After graduate forward Sitori Tanin grabbed the opening tipoff for the Ramblers, Bernard started the contest with a corner 3-point shot. A layup from Kentucky State’s graduate guard Naja Fenelon gave the Thorobreds their first entry on the scoreboard.

Despite missed offensive stretches from both sides, graduate guard Jess Finney, Tanin and first-year Brooklyn Vaughn added a collective five points to increase the Ramblers’ early advantage.

Kentucky State’s fourth-year forward Mondrea Williams’ offensive rebound and putback bumped the Thorobreds back within three, but an and-one layup from Tanin quickly negated it at 11-4.

Offensive missteps – consisting mostly of missed shots – continued to plague both sides, who only managed to score five apiece in a three-and-a-half timespan and stood at 16-9. 

First-year guard Alex Kinas’ driving fast break with just over twenty seconds left was the final action of an 18-9 first period.

Vaughn started the second quarter action with a steal and finished the offensive possession with a layup. After a successful trip at the line by Kentucky State, Bernard tacked on four more points to put the score at 24-11. 

In a three-minute timespan, Vaughn and third-year guard Kira Chivers provided six more points – Vaughn with a layup and Chivers with two layups – to match Thorobred’s four at 30-15. 

With two minutes remaining, both sides continued to trade buckets amid turnovers and missed scoring attempts, but the Ramblers managed to eke out seven more, courtesy of graduate forward Thoranna Kika Hodge-Carr, first-year guard Kendall Hendrix, Bernard and Finney to close out the first half 37-20.

A successful jumper from Kentucky State’s third-year guard Shannon Niles started the third quarter before a lone free-throw from Tanin a minute later. 

Bernard added three points after tough contact on a layup for the and-one. The Thorobreds managed to get five back before a corner three from second-year guard Rosalie Mercille put the Ramblers momentum back at 44-28. 

Scoring for both sides continued to come in short bursts, with neither side able to grab more than four straight points until there was a minute and twenty seconds remaining, with the Ramblers up 54-40. 

The Thorobreds picked up the pace and outscored the Ramblers during a limited run, a mild cause of concern for head coach Allison Guth.

“They really know how to set the tone in the third quarter,” Guth said. “We were really disappointed in our effort when we entered our media timeout down 12-11. We talk about making it a 0-0 focus — not the main score, but what’s happening in the quarter.”

Two free throws by Finney and a 3-pointer by Bernard matched a lone free throw by Kentucky State first-year forward Amaris Timmons. Vaughn continued to add to her total with two free throws in the dying seconds of a 61-41 third period.

Following the Thorobreds opening 3-pointer by Niles, the Loyola offense erupted, led by graduate guard Emma Theodorsson, who anchored a 19-point run with 12 of her own. 

Theodorsson started the run with a 3-pointer off an offensive rebound, and Vaughn quickly stole the ball back and drove in for a layup. Chivers added a layup after a travel violation to extend the lead to 68-44.

Theodorsson continued with two successful trips to the line, a two-point jumpshot and an and-one putback layup, while Finney snuck in a three-point shot under tight defensive coverage. 

Niles eventually stopped the bleeding with a two-point jumpshot, but the Ramblers had increased their advantage to 80-46.

Play continued as a 3-2 scoring split consisting entirely of free throws in the Ramblers’ favor occurred with four minutes remaining. Kentucky State first-year guard Rhianna Williams scored five against a lone free throw from Kinas, bringing the score to 84-53.

The remaining points of the night would come from six free throws, with the exception of two layups from Kinas and Hendrix. The game came to a 91-56 close with a Kentucky State shot clock turnover with four seconds remaining.

Statistically, the Ramblers shot 50.9% from the field and snatched 43 rebounds, far better than Kentucky State’s 28.1% shooting and 35 boards. 

Another bright spot for the Ramblers was their bench, which was responsible for 45 points.

“It was bench production — getting physical, getting rebounds,” Guth said. “Then our effectiveness – taking the right shot at the other end of the floor.”

Loyola will play hosts in their next match versus University of West Georgia Nov. 9. The game is due for a 7 p.m. start in Gentile and can be streamed on ESPN+.