The Matchup
- Loyola University Maryland women's basketball heads on the road for the first time in Patriot League action this season to face Bucknell University at 2 p.m. on Saturday, January 8 in Lewisberg, Pennsylvania. The game will stream live on ESPN+.
Last Time Out
- Caramina Tañedo scored a career-high 12 points off the bench and Lex Therien registered her third double-double of the season, but Boston University used a strong fourth quarter to pull away for a 64-51 victory over Loyola on Wednesday.
- A Devyne Newman jumper tied the score at 43-43 to open up the fourth, but the Terriers (6-7, 2-0 PL) outscored Loyola (3-8, 0-1 PL) by a 21-8 margin the rest of the way. Sydney Johnson led Boston U with 18 points, while Caitlin Weimar and Alex Giannaros added 13 points apiece.
- Tañedo hit 4 of 6 attempts from 3-point range while reaching double figures for the first time in her collegiate career. Therien finished with 13 points and 11 boards, and Charia Roberts supplied nine points and seven rebounds for the home side.
- Loyola battled throughout and led by as many as five points despite having only nine available players for most of the contest. Led by Tañedo, the Greyhounds ended the night shooting 46.2 percent (6 for 13) from beyond the arc.
- Boston U finished with a 46-38 rebounding advantage and also led 9-1 in blocks. Maren Durant recorded a game-high 14 boards and four blocks, while Weimar added three blocks for the visitors.
- Therien scored 10+ points for an eighth time in 11 games this season while picking up her first double-double since a 12-point, 13-rebound effort at Hofstra on Nov. 20.
Back in Action
- Loyola will be playing its second game in 25 days on Saturday after returning to the floor Wednesday. The program's previous three contests were postponed or cancelled due to COVID protocols.
- The Greyhounds' December 23 matchup at St. Francis Brooklyn was cancelled, while Patriot League games against Army (Dec. 30) and Holy Cross (Jan. 2) were postponed.
- Loyola's home game with Army was rescheduled for 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 2 at Reitz Arena.
Therien Remains Among Patriot League Rebound Leaders
- Lex Therien has made an immediate impact in her debut season, ranking second on the team in scoring (10.4 ppg) and first in rebounding. Her 9.5 rebounds per game are third overall among Patriot League players.
- She is 43rd nationally in rebounds per game and ranks No. 2 amongst NCAA Division I freshmen with 9.5 rebounds per game, trailing only DePaul's Aneesah Morrow (12.0).
- Therien is a two-time Patriot League Rookie of the Week, earning the award on Nov. 22 and Dec. 6. She has scored in double figures in 7 of 10 games on the year, including a season-high 14-point effort at Howard on Dec. 1.
- Therien has grabbed 6+ rebounds in every contest this season, and she posted double-doubles against Fairleigh Dickinson (Nov. 14) and Hofstra (Nov. 20).
Dixon Leading the Offense
- Taleah Dixon's 12.5 points per game lead Loyola and rank 10th overall in the Patriot League. She scored a season-high 23 points (8-16 FG, 3-7 3FG) in a Dec. 4 win over Mount St. Mary's.
- Dixon also paces the Greyhounds in both free throw percentage (86.4, 38-44) and 3-point FG percentage (41.7, 15-36). She is third among Patriot League shooters and 48th nationally in FT%.
- Dixon is one of three team captains for Loyola this season, along with Laryn Edwards and Bri Rozzi.
'Ria Stepping Up
- Sophomore Charia Roberts saw limited action as a freshman during the shortened 2020-2021 season, playing in 13 games and averaging 3.8 points and 3.5 rebounds in 12.8 minutes per game.
- This season, however, Roberts has averaged 29.6 minutes per game while starting all 11 contests, and she has responded with 8.8 points and 4.3 rebounds per contest.
- The Baltimore County native has scored eight or more points in eight games, and she has grabbed five or more rebounds seven times.
Using the Opportunity
- Caramina Tañedo had played just 22 minutes over her last seven appearances, but the sophomore made the most of extended playing time in the Greyhounds' Patriot League opener against Boston University.
- She equaled those 22 minutes and scored a career-high 12 points, making four of the six 3-pointers she attempted. Her 12 points eclipsed her previous high of eight from the Greyhounds' season-opener at Niagara where she scored eight.
Salmerón Named Patriot League Rookie of the Week
- Laura Salmerón was announced as the conference's top rookie on Dec. 13 following a pair of double-digit scoring performances.
- Salmerón averaged 14.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.0 steals in Loyola's last two games, including a season-best 18-points (7-11 FG, 4-7 3FG) during a Dec. 8 matchup against Morgan State.
- Her four 3-pointers against the Bears were the most by a Loyola player this season.
- Salmerón added 10 points at Toledo, reaching double figures for a fifth time in 10 games during her debut season. She also leads Loyola and ranks 14th in the Patriot League in minutes per game (31.0).
Worth Noting
- The Greyhounds have been tied or led in the fourth quarter in eight of 11 games this season under first year head coach Danielle O'Banion.
- With her 23 points on Dec. 4 against the Mount, Taleah Dixon became the first Greyhound to score 20+ points in a game since Feb. 13, 2021 (Isabella Therien - 21 pts vs. Navy).
- Dixon totaled 20+ points for the fourth time in her collegiate career, and the first time since she had a career-best 26 during the 2019 Patriot League quarterfinals at Bucknell.
- Loyola's 63-57 win over UMBC on Nov. 17 was the program's first victory after trailing by 14+ points in the second half since Feb. 10, 2012 vs. Iona (66-60).
- Loyola's overtime victory over FDU on Nov. 14 was the program's first in extra time since Jan. 2, 2017 at Lafayette. The Greyhounds are now 3-9 in OT dating back to March 4, 2011.
Balanced Attack
