Bessette Bests Billikens with Career High in 74-59 Win

Loyola women’s basketball continued their hot start to the new year, winning the fifth of their last six games in a 74-59 trouncing of Saint Louis University on the road Jan. 24. First-year guard and forward Alex-Anne Bessette posted a career high 23 points to go along with eight rebounds as the Billikens were led by fellow first-year center Alyssa Koerkenmeier with 21 points and seven boards.

Graduate guard Alexus Mobley started the game quickly for Loyola, draining a jumper met by a second-chance jump shot for graduate Billiken guard Alexia Nelson. Bessette got on the board next with a driving layup, followed by Koerkenmeier being fouled on a shot, going one for two at the line. 

Saint Louis jumped into the lead for the first time on a layup from graduate guard Zya Nugent, and Nelson tacked on a free throw a minute later for the 6-4 advantage.

Loyola’s three-minute offensive cold streak was snapped by Mobley on a layup, and second-year guard Kendall Hendrix put the Ramblers in front with two foul shots. Bessette capped six straight from Loyola on a layup as a jumper from Nelson brought the Billikens closer at 10-8.

The Ramblers rallied off seven straight following the jumper, starting with a lay-in from redshirt third-year forward Clara Djoko and five straight for Bessette on a layup and 3-pointer. 

The Billikens bounced back with five points to end the quarter, all coming at the charity stripe  — two from first-year guard Jahda Denis, two from Koerkenmeier and one from Nugent to end the quarter with Loyola in the lead at 17-13.

Second-year guard Alexa Kinas opened the second quarter with back-to-back buckets, the first coming on a putback lay-in and the second coming on a crosscourt inbound pass from Bessette for an easy layup. Third-year guard Audrey Deptula sank a three as Loyola opened to a 24-13 lead.

Saint Louis graduate guard Isabel Tillett finally got the Billikens on the board with a layup before instantly being outdone by a three-point play from Bessette. Koerkenmeiere responded with a layup, met yet again by Loyola, courtesy of a Deptula jumper.

A minute cold stretch hit the floor before third-year guard Rosalie Mercille scored a fastbreak layup for Loyola. Another scoreless stretch, this time two minutes long, was broken by Nelson on a jumper, with Hendrix following with a sole free throw. 

Denis added two more at the line for the Billikens before Loyola began a 9-0 run. Djoko started with a layup, followed by two at the line from Deptula, a steal and score from Kinas and a three for Deptula to make it 41-21 Ramblers.

Nelson broke the run on a layup and second-year forward Roisin Grandberry tacked on a free throw. Nelson ended the half with a free throw, missing the second as Bessette grabbed the rebound and missed the heave at the buzzer as Loyola led 42-24.

The third quarter opened to a slow start, with four free throws from Koerkenmeier opening the half. Second-year forward Brooklyn Vaughn scored next for Loyola on a floater countered by Koerkenmeier, adding one of her own. Vaughn hit a second straight from in the paint, followed by a Bessette layup.

Loyola’s offense faltered for three minutes as Koerkenmeier took advantage, scoring a layup on a fast break, followed by a 3-pointer for second-year guard Mia Bergstrom, two more free throws for Koerkenmeier and a layup for Zugent to bring the Billikens within nine at 48-39.

Bessette broke through with a layup and a following foul shot as Loyola built their lead back to double digits. Denis and Mobley traded single free throws before Hendrix added one more and Nelson ended the quarter with two at the line for the Billikens as they trailed 53-42 entering the fourth.

Nelson opened the fourth with a jumper to cut Loyola’s lead to nine before a free throw from Hendrix, and a layup from Bessette brought it back to 12. Nugent hit two at the line before Mobley matched with a jumper as the teams went back and forth. 

Mercille made a three followed by a Mobley layup as Denis stopped the bleeding with a jumper in the paint. Kinas and Bessette traded layups with Nelson and Koerkenmeier, who added an additional free throw, as Loyola maintained their 67-53 lead with three minutes to play.

Kinas connected on a 3-pointer, followed by a layup from Bessette, to put Loyola’s lead out of reach at 19 with less than 90 seconds left. A tip-in by Nelson brought it to 72-55 with a minute to play as Loyola subbed out their starters. 

First-year forward Nevaeh Dickman took advantage of the garbage time minutes with a paint jumper before she fouled Nugent, who made one at the line. Koerkenmeier closed the game with a three-point play after being fouled on a layup as the Ramblers rolled through Saint Louis 74-59.

With Loyola’s third straight win, head coach Allison Guth spoke on the growing synergy between this group. 

“Individual accolades are great, but what excites me most is the collective effort of this team,” Guth said. “There are still many areas we can improve, especially with our turnovers, but out-rebounding them 38-28 was a major point of emphasis for us. You can see the confidence growing with this group as they continue to play to each other’s strengths.”

The Ramblers have a week off before their next game, continuing conference play at home against St. Bonaventure University Saturday, Jan. 31 at 2 p.m. Streaming will be available on ESPN+.