Wright State University
5-8, 1-1HL
Loyola
5-7, 0-2HL
Women Win at Loyola
1/5/2009 12:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Loyola trimmed a 10-point Wright State halftime lead to three with 13:41 remaining, but the Raider offense exploded for 41 points the rest of the way as WSU recorded a 72-55 decision over the Ramblers in Horizon League action at the Gentile Center Monday night.
A 10-3 run, highlighted by threes from Kanisha Ward and Shey Peddy, put Wright State up 17-9 midway through the first half and the Raiders led by as much as 29-18 following a Charne Dixon layup late in the period before taking a 31-21 advantage into the break.
Loyola outshot WSU in the opening 20 minutes 45-38 percent, but the Raiders took 12 more shots thanks to a 21-13 rebounding edge, including 12-3 on the offensive end, which resulted in a 9-1 margin in second-chance points. Wright State also led 13-7 in points off of turnovers.
The Ramblers scored the first seven points of the second half to trim the deficit to 31-28 with 13:41 remaining, but Wright State answered with a 21-4 run over the next five minutes, seven coming from Peddy and six by LaShawna Thomas, to go up 52-32 at the 8:27 mark.
Loyola would get no closer than 14 the rest of the way as WSU scored its most points in a game this season, eclipsing the 71 scored at BYU Hawaii on December 6.
The Raiders hit 14 of 28 shots in the second half, including six of nine from three-point range, to finish at 43 percent overall while Loyola was at 42 percent. WSU went nine of 18 from three-point range, the most for Wright State since connecting on 11 at Green Bay last March 6.
Wright State led 40-25 on the boards, 21-8 on the offensive end, and had the advantage in points off of turnovers (25-20) and second-chance points (19-6).
Peddy paced the Raiders with 21 points while Thomas added 13 as all but one WSU player on the roster scored.
Keisha Collins led Loyola (5-7, 0-2 Horizon) with 15 points while Elyse VanBogaert had 12.
Wright State (5-8, 1-1 Horizon) returns home for a pair of games this weekend, starting with Valparaiso on Thursday, January 8, at 7:00.
