BOCA RATON, Fla. –
Stephanie Karcz made it two major milestones in two days, as she a new Loyola University Maryland women's basketball program record for career steals midway through the fourth quarter of a 66-51 defeat to Wright State on Saturday.
Karcz, who scored her 1,000th career point yesterday and continues to lead Division I in steals per game, surpassed Katie Sheahin's program mark with the sixth of her seven thefts on the afternoon. She has 349 steals through her first 97 collegiate appearances, including 38 in seven games this season.
Angel Baker had a game-high 23 points for Wright State (3-2), which won 27 games and finished as Horizon League champions in 2018-19. Leading 49-40 with under eight minutes remaining in regulation, the Raiders used an 8-0 run to break open the contest and secure a victory in the consolation game of Florida Atlantic's two-day Thanksgiving tournament.
Emily McAteer led all scorers for Loyola (1-6) with a season-high 14 points (5-9 FG), while fellow freshman
Ava Therien chipped in 10 points, seven rebounds and five assists in a strong all-around effort for the Greyhounds. Karcz added 12 rebounds and five points in the defeat, reaching double figures in boards for a fourth-consecutive game.
Loyola never led in the contest, but a 4-0 run in the final minute of the second quarter, highlighted by a 3-pointer from
Delaney Connolly, had the deficit at just 26-23 heading into the intermission. Another 7-0 stretch to conclude the third quarter, which included five points from McAteer and a jumper by Therien, had the margin at 45-38 heading into the final 10 minutes.
Wright State limited Loyola to a 30.6 field goal percentage, including a 3 for 20 performance from 3-point range, and scored 26 points off of 19 Greyhound turnovers.
Karcz, who was named to the All-Tournament Team, also moved into eighth place all-time in program history in career assists. She has 313 assists at Loyola, seven back of
Bri Betz-White (2014-19) in seventh.
The Greyhounds return to action next Friday night, traveling to Mount St. Mary's for a matchup beginning at 7 p.m.