BALTIMORE –
Laura Salmerón scored seven of her game-high 23 points in overtime, and
Kimmie Hicks had five of her 18 in the extra period, to help Loyola University Maryland women's basketball post a 70-64 victory over visiting Radford University on Wednesday afternoon.
Salmerón and Hicks were two of three Greyhounds to score 18 or more points in the game;
Amandine Amorich nearly doubled her previous career-high with 19 points.
Loyola led 24-20 at halftime, but Radford 11 of 15 shots in the third quarter to go up nine, 49-40, after 30 minutes of action. Cate Carlson scored 13 of her team-best 20 in the period for the Highlanders.
Hicks made two free throws, and Amorich knocked down a three in the first 90 seconds of the fourth, and Loyola was within four, 49-45.
Radford's Angelina Nice made a three just over a minute later to push the margin back to seven, but Loyola continued to chip away. Hicks made a pair of free throws on two possessions, and the Highlanders led 54-53 with 4:06 left in regulation.
Cristina Garcia tied it with a free throw for Loyola at 3:36 to tie the game, and the score remained 54-54 for almost two minutes until Kirah Dandridge converted one of two free throws for Radford with 56 seconds left, giving the Highlanders another lead.
Hicks, however, got a seal on her defender in the paint, caught a
Kailey Kalet pass to score 14 seconds later, and Loyola was back in front.
Radford missed three shots in the paint on its next two possessions, and Amorich was fouled with just over three seconds left. She made both free throws, and Loyola had a 58-55 advantage.
The Highlanders called timeout to advance the ball over halfcourt after Amorich's second shot, and Carlson curled around a high-post screen to catch the in-bounds pass. She made a right corner three with 2.3 seconds on the clock, forcing overtime with the game tied 58-58.
Salmerón put Loyola in front with a 3-pointer at 3:58, and she then converted two free throws with 2:37 on the clock in overtime to give Loyola a 63-58 advantage.
Carlson and Hicks traded baskets, and Loyola's lead was five before Joi Williams scored and was fouled with 1:21 to play, and she made the ensuing free throw to cut the deficit to 65-63.
Hicks and Dandridge both made individual free throws for their teams over the next 32 seconds. A Williams three with less than 10 seconds left went off line, and Hicks grabbed the rebound. She was fouled and made both shots to give Loyola a four-point cushion.
Hicks then blocked a Carlson three on the Radford end, and Salmerón grabbed the defensive board, was fouled and hit both free throws to provide the final margin.
Koi Sims grabbed 13 rebounds to lead Loyola to a 45-39 advantage on the glass. She also finished with eight points and three blocked shots.
The Greyhounds will be on the road for their next two games, starting with a Saturday, December 7, contest at Mount St. Mary's due to start at 2 p.m.
