BALTIMORE – Loyola University Maryland women's basketball is back home for just the second time since Jan. 29, hosting Lafayette on Senior Day at 4 p.m. Saturday afternoon. The Greyhounds will be looking for a season split after falling 55-52 in overtime to the Leopards back on Jan. 11.
Last Time Out
- Hope Brown and Alisa Fallon scored 16 points apiece, as Army totaled 48 points in the final 14 minutes of regulation to top Loyola by a 75-55 final on Wednesday.
- The Greyhounds held a 39-27 advantage with under four minutes remaining in the third quarter, but the Black Knights (6-19, 2-12) closed that frame on an 18-5 run and outscored the visitors 30-11 in the fourth.
- Alexis Gray totaled 15 points, three assists and three steals to lead the way for Loyola, while Delaney Connolly chipped in 10 points on 4 of 6 shooting from the floor.
- Army hit 8 of 12 attempts from 3-point range over the final 14 minutes after starting the game 5 for 20 from long distance. The home side snapped an eight-game losing streak.
Series History
- The series, which dates back to 1978, is now tied with nine wins for each team after Lafayette's victory in January.
- Drew Freeland totaled a game-high 19 points for Lafayette, while Natalie Kucowski had 10 points, 16 boards, five assists and five blocks. Emily McAteer (14 points, 10 rebounds) recorded her first-career double-double.
- The Greyhounds swept both meetings a year ago, winning 62-50 at home on Jan. 20 and 55-52 in Easton on Feb. 16.
- Loyola has won six of the last nine games in the series overall dating back to the 2015-16 season.
Scouting Lafayette
- The Leopards (12-12, 8-6) have lost two-straight after winning six of their previous seven contests. They are in a three-way tie for fourth place in the Patriot League standings.
- Jr. F Natalie Kucowski ranks second in Division I in rebounds per game (12.9) and she is 19th nationally at 2.7 blocks per game.
- Kucowski, who averages a team-high 13.3 points per game, is also tied for 9th in DI with 15 double-doubles. She was named Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year in 2018-19.
- Sr. G Sarah Agnello led the way with 10 points in a 47-40 defeat at Boston University on Wednesday.
Senior Day
- Alexis Gray, Stephanie Karcz, Hannah Niles and Molly Taylor will be honored in a pregame ceremony on Saturday.
- Karcz has led Division I in steals per game (5.2) for a majority of the season. She had one steal on Wednesday before leaving with an injury sustained in the first half.
- Karcz's 130 steals this season are the fourth most in Patriot League single-season history; she has recorded 100+ steals in each of the last three years.
- Gray has reached double figures 10 times this season and 40 times overall in her collegiate career. She has totaled 820 points in 90 career appearances.
- Niles is one of two Greyhounds to start every game this season, cracking the starting five 49 times overall in the last two years. She had a season-high 11 points in Loyola's upset victory over Bucknell on Jan. 25.
- Taylor has seen action in 15 games since making her season debut on Dec. 20. She is career 35.9% shooter from 3-point range, hitting 74 of 206 attempts from long distance
Current Playoff Setup
- Loyola currently ranks eighth in the Patriot League standings with four games remaining in the regular season.
- The Greyhounds are two games back of American in seventh, and they are two games ahead of both Navy and Army.
- The No. 7 and No. 8 seeds will host an opening round Patriot League tournament game on Saturday, March 7.
Big Academic Honor for Connolly
- Delaney Connolly was recognized on Thursday as a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection, becoming the first Loyola player to receive the prestigious honor since 2006.
- The Academic All-District teams honor the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom. District 2 is made up of all D I institutions within the states of Maryland, Delaware, Kentucky, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.
- A chemistry major with a 3.98 GPA, Connolly now becomes eligible for Academic All-America consideration, with winners announced in mid-March.
- Connolly has started all 23 games she has appeared in this season, leading the Greyhounds in both 3-pointers made (28) and 3-point FG% (34.1).
- Connolly is studying to become an orthopedic surgeon. She has interned in Johns Hopkins' Pulmonology department each of the last two years, and she serves as a volunteer assistant in Loyola's chemistry department.
Quick Notes
- The Greyhounds are a perfect 7-0 when out-shooting their opponent this season, and they are 6-2 when leading at halftime.
- Loyola's bench has outscored the opposing team's reserves in five of the last six.
- The Greyhounds lead the Patriot League in turnovers forced per game (18.6) and 3-point FG% defense (27.7).
- Loyola is 0-5 in games decided by three points or less.
- Loyola is 5-5 at Reitz Arena this season compared to a 2-13 mark away from home.
Looking Ahead
- Loyola remains at Reitz for its final home game of the regular season on Wednesday, hosting Navy at 5:30 p.m.
