BALTIMORE –
Bri Rozzi dribbled around a
Lex Therien screen, stepped back and knocked down an 18-foot jumper with 11 seconds remaining on Saturday to lift Loyola University Maryland women's basketball to a 56-55 win over visiting Mount St. Mary's in Reitz Arena.
Rozzi's shot from just beyond free-throw-line-extended on the right side bounced off the rim, the backboard and then rattled three more times off the rim before dropping to put Loyola back in front of the Mountaineers.
The Greyhounds defended a Kendall Bresee shot in the lane with less than three seconds, and it bounced off the rim and into Therien's hands to secure the win.
Rozzi finished with 13 points, while Therien had 12 and a team-high eight rebounds.
Taleah Dixon led all players with a season-high 23 points to go with six rebounds and two steals.
Up four at halftime, Dixon trained a three to start the third-quarter scoring, putting Loyola in front 27-20. Mount St. Mary's scored the nexdt eight points, however, and took the lead less than 90 seconds later.
Loyola would go up, 29-28, on a Dixon layup with 7:09 on the third-quarter clock, but less than two minutes later, Kayla Agentowicz put The Mount back on top with a three of her own at 5:21.
Two free throws late in the quarter by Isabella Hunt gave Mount St. Mary's a 44-37 lead heading into the final stanza, but Loyola scored the first six of the quarter, and
Ava Therien put the Greyhounds within one, 44-43, with an offensive rebound and bucket at 7:52.
Back-to-back baskets less than two minutes later by
Laura Salmerón and Dixon gave Loyola a 47-46 lead, but Mount St. Mary's took back the advantage on an Aryna Taylor jumper with 5:02 left in regulation.
Loyola scored seven of the next eight points, and a steal converted to a transition layup by Salmerón gave Loyola a 54-49 lead at 1:51.
Mount St. Mary's, however, tallied the next six points and took a 55-54 lead on two Hunt free throws with 33 ticks left.
The Greyhounds eschewed calling a timeout, and instead Rozzi kept the ball in her hands on the left wing. She used a free-throw line screen by
Lex Therien to get space at the right elbow, and her stepback look found the net.
Loyola will continue its homestand on Wednesday, December 8, when it hosts Cold Spring Lane rival Morgan State University at 7 p.m.
