BALTIMORE –
Lex Therien scored with 3.2 seconds left in regulation to give Loyola University Maryland a one-point lead Wednesday night, and she then blocked Colgate University's last-second layup attempt to preserve a 62-61 victory for the Greyhounds in Patriot League play in Reitz Arena.
Therien finished with game-highs of 23 points and 14 rebounds for her eighth double-double this season.
Taleah Dixon scored seven of her 17 points in the fourth quarter, including three on a shot from behind the arc with 1:28 to go that gave the Greyhounds (4-14 overall, 1-7 Patriot League) a four-point lead.
After Dixon's three Colgate's Sophia Diehl hit her fourth 3-pointter of the final quarter with 65 ticks on the clock, trimming the Greyhounds' lead to 60-59. A Loyola jumper went off the mark, and Colgate took possession with 31 seconds to play.
The Raiders (3-17, 1-8) scored in less than five seconds as Alexa Brodie brought the ball up the court, drove the right side of the lane and scored to give Colgate its first lead since the opening minutes of the second quarter.
Loyola called a timeout and wound the clock under 10 before Dixon drove the left side and had a layup miss. Therien grabbed the board, but her putback attempt was off the mark. The ball came down into the hands of a Colgate player, but Dixon tied it up for a jump ball, and the possession arrow favored Loyola.
Bri Rozzi triggered the baseline inbounds play, and she got it to Therien in the paint as she had sealed off her defender. The ball popped loose, but Therien grabbed it, spun right and banked in a shot to give Loyola a lead again.
Colgate used its final timeout, and the ball again was in the hands of Brodie. Starting from just outside the 3-point line, Brodie had a path to the basket, but Therien blocked her attempt as time expired, sealing the victory.
The Greyhounds led for more than three-quarters of the contest after Colgate was in front for the majority of the first quarter.
Therien,
Emma Glezen and Dixon scored in the first 2:26 of the third quarter to stretch a 34-30 halftime lead into a 10-point advantage at 7:34, forcing a Colgate timeout.
The Raiders twice got back within five during the stanza, but Therien made a pair of free throws with 53 seconds to go in the quarter, and Loyola led 44-37 entering the fourth.
Dixon hit two free throws at 6:41, and the lead was back to 10 for Loyola, 49-49, but it was down to six, 53-47, after a Taylor Golembiewski transition layup with 4:30 to play. Diehl then made her first threat 3:47, and after Dixon and Therien both made field goals for Loyola, Diehl hit another to make it 57-53 Greyhounds at 2:30.
Loyola misfired on its next possession, and Diehl hit another three to get the margin to one. Colgate then drew an offensive foul on Loyola and had a baseline out of bounds play with possession to try to take the lead.
Ava Therien was inserted into the game and pressured the ball. She knocked down Morgan McMahon's inbound pass, and it landed on McMahon while she was still standing out-of-bounds, and the Greyhounds regained possession.
Dixon then connected from behind the line at 1:28, giving Loyola a four-point cushion.
That comfort was short-lived as Diehl made her fourth three of the period at 1:05, and it was a 1-point game once again. After a two rimmed out, Brodie's basket put Colgate back in front, setting up the final seconds.
Charia Roberts gave Loyola three players in double-figures as she scored 10, while Rozzi had eight points, six rebounds and five assists.
The Greyhounds used a 33-23 advantage on the glass, grabbing 11 offensive rebounds, including two on the game-winning offensive possession.
Wednesday's game was the first of a three-game homestand for Loyola. The Greyhounds will host Bucknell University at 3 p.m. on Saturday, January 29, in their next contest.
