Loyola Women’s Basketball failed to score as the final seconds ticked off the clock resulting in a loss of 61-59 to the Bucknell Bisons. The team had a chance to tie or win the game with the ball down two points with just over five seconds on the game clock. Lex Therien ‘25 received the inbounds and drove to the hoop where she was met by multiple Bison defenders. Therien tried to pass it to Marta Espinal ‘26 but she was unable to reel it in and the Greyhounds fell short in Wednesday night’s game.
The Greyhounds were plagued with foul trouble, as starters Kimmie Hicks ‘27 and graduate student Ava Therien both were on the bench most of the game due to fouls. Therien fouled out of the game in just 10 minutes played and Hicks recorded four fouls in just 12 minutes played. Both have played integral roles for the Greyhounds’ recent success, leading the team in scoring their recent win against Navy with Hicks scoring 16 and Therien scoring 13. Hicks has shown her versatility playing at either the forward or guard position and her athleticism has constantly been on display. Hicks discussed her and Therien’s foul trouble and how that hindered the team’s success.
“Going forward I think being smarter and knowing that fouling not only puts me in trouble but also our team at a disadvantage. Something that helps us a lot with winning close games is our full court press and we had the two most important people that make our press so dangerous on the bench,” she said.
Despite the loss, Head Coach Danielle O’Banion referenced the team’s return of key players as a positive in a year the team has battled with injuries.
“To be at our best, we play full court basketball both ways. This style requires athleticism and depth so having Kimmie, Ava, and Kelly back is huge.”
The Greyhounds fell to 9-11 and a 4-5 Patriot League record. They currently sit in a three-way tie for fifth place. Laura Salmerón ‘25, who contributed 12 points and played a team-high 37 minutes, discussed the importance of maintaining positivity throughout a long season, even after losses.
“It’s devastating, but we have a young team, so we have to make sure to bring energy and a positive mindset. We need to take this past game as a lesson,” she said.
Lex Therien recorded her 12th double-double of the year, finishing the game with 14 points and 17 rebounds.
Perhaps the biggest bright spot from the game was guard Kelly Ratigan ‘26 who posted a team-high 16 points. Recently coming off an injury, Ratigan seemed to quickly find her groove, hitting multiple contested pull-ups and three-pointers. When asked about her strong individual performance, she deflected her personal success, crediting her teammates for helping her quickly get back in a rhythm.
“Being out was really tough, feeling like I couldn’t help my team on the court. But when I got back, my teammates gave me so much confidence and support that playing felt really natural. I have to give the credit to them and the faith they have in me coming out of an injury like that,” Ratigan said.
The Greyhounds look to bounce back Saturday, Feb. 3 as they take on the top-seeded Holy Cross Crusaders. Loyola suffered a defeat to the Crusaders earlier in the season. However, the Greyhounds only had eight available players and were missing key contributors Ratigan and Therien. The game is set for a 2 p.m. tip-off in Worcester, Mass..
