Junior guard Kara Marshall scored 24 points for the second straight game, shooting six-for-nine from beyond the arc, but it wasn’t enough in Loyola’s 65-59 loss to Mount St. Mary’s University Saturday afternoon in Knott Arena.
The Greyhounds (2-6) also received strong contributions from junior guard Nai Brown (12 points, nine rebounds) and sophomore forward Jeneh Perry (10 points, five rebounds). Loyola shot a season-high 57-percent from three-point range, as Brown and sophomore center Tiffany Padgett both added three-point baskets. Padgett contributed 10 points and six boards.
Both teams battled back and forth throughout the first half, trading leads. Just three minutes into the game, Brown gave the Greyhounds their first lead of the game, 5-3, on a jump shot. Brown scored Loyola’s first five points of the contest.
After falling behind early, Marshall quickly drained two of her six three-pointers to put the Greyhounds back on top, 11-9. With 12:51 to go in the first half, Padgett converted a layup to give the Hounds a 13-11 lead. It would be Loyola’s last lead of the afternoon.
While the Hounds spent the remainder of the game playing catch-up, they gave the Mountaineers everything they had. After a layup by Perry tied the game at 15 points apiece with 10 minutes left in the first half, Loyola went four minutes without scoring, until Perry converted on another layup with six minutes to go.
A three-pointer by Kayla Grossett gave Mount St. Mary’s a 26-21 lead with 4:26 remaining in the first half, their largest lead of the game to that point. The Mount would extend their lead to 33-26 at halftime.
The Hounds’ defense came up big to start the second half, as Mount St. Mary’s was held scoreless for the first six minutes of the second half. Unfortunately for Loyola, they were only able to score 3 points during that span, only slightly cutting into the Mount’s lead.
Another three-point bucket for Marshall with 13:13 left in the game cut the lead to 37-34, but the Mount would go on a 7-0 run to take a commanding 44-34 lead with 11:09 remaining.
Marshall continued to cut into the Mount’s lead with a barrage of three-pointers, but the Mount repeatedly responded with points.
Loyola fell behind by as many as 13 points (57-44) with less than five minutes remaining. However, a 9-0 run by Loyola, sparked by a three-pointer from Padgett, made the score 57-53 with just 2:54 remaining.
Both teams traded shots in the game’s final minutes, and the Greyhounds pulled within three points, 60-57, with a minute left. However, a Mount St. Mary’s field goal, followed by a couple of missed free throws by Loyola, sealed the victory for the Mount.
The Hounds shot a mediocre 50-percent from the charity stripe, while the Mount made 70-percent of their free throws. Loyola had four players score in double-figures, but the rest of the team only combined for three points.
The Greyhounds quickly return to action on Monday evening against George Washington for a 7 p.m. road contest.