BOSTON, MASS. – Freshman Taleah Dixon scored a game-high 20 points, including the go-ahead basket with 54 seconds left, as the Loyola University Maryland women's basketball team (6-23, 5-13) closed out the regular-season with a 59-55 Patriot League win over Boston University (15-13, 11-7) at Case Gymnasium.
 
The Greyhounds, who won their second game in a row, clinched the eighth seed in the Patriot League Tournament and will host ninth-seeded Navy on Saturday, March 9 at 2:00 p.m.
 
Despite going more than seven minutes in the fourth quarter without a point, the Greyhounds pulled the game out in the final minute.
 
After Dixon's basket gave Loyola a 57-55 lead, Laura Spearman missed a three-pointer with 41 seconds remaining for the Terriers. Dixon grabbed the rebound, and Bri Betz-White was fouled with 36 seconds left. She made one of two to give the Greyhounds a 58-55 lead. After another miss by BU with six seconds remaining, Delaney Connolly pulled down the board; she was fouled and made one of two free throws to clinch the win.
 
The Greyhounds opened the game on a 9-2 run as they took a 19-13 lead at the end of the first quarter. Loyola made 57.1 per cent of its shots from the floor and built its lead with the help of three-point baskets by juniors Alexis Gray, Delaney Connolly and Hannah Niles.
 
With 9:03 left in the second quarter, Molly Taylor nailed a 3-pointer as the Greyhounds extended their lead to 22-15. When Niles hit a jumper with 8:11 remaining in the quarter, Loyola had its largest lead of the first half at 24-15.
 
The Terriers rallied to pull within 31-27 on a 12-7 run. Nia Irving made a pair of free throws with 30 seconds left in the half, and the Terriers got within two, 35-3,3, but, Dixon, who scored nine points in the second quarter, responded with a layup with nine seconds left to up the Loyola lead to 37-33. Katie Nelson's jumper pulled to Terriers to within 37-35 at halftime.
 
Led by Dixon's seven points in the first four minutes of the third quarter, Loyola increased its lead to 44-37. But Boston went on a 7-2 run to pull within 46-44 with 2:20 left. When Naiya Thompson scored with 1:34 left, the Terriers tied the game at 44-44.
 
But senior Bri Betz-White enabled the Greyhounds to take a 50-47 lead into the fourth quarter when she made two free throws with 14 seconds remaining.
 
Just 13 seconds into the fourth quarter, Laura Spearman connected on a three-pointer to tie the game at 50-50.
 
With 8:22 remaining, Betz-White put Loyola ahead by 52-50 when she converted two free throws. Betz-White upped the Greyhounds' lead to 55-50 when she made a three-point basket.
 
Nelson pulled the Terriers back to with 55-53 when she canned a three-pointer with 5:18 left. Boston tied the game at 55-55 on a jumper by Riley Childs.
 
After the three-pointer by Betz-White, the Greyhounds went scoreless for more than seven minutes.
 
Dixon's basket ended the drought and helped Loyola to the win.
 
Dixon, who made 7 of 13 shots from the floor, had a game high 20 points while Betz-White scored 12 points. Connolly had eight points and five rebounds while Stephanie Karcz scored six points with eight rebounds.
 
Irving led Boston University with 13 points while Spearman added points.