ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. – The St. Bonaventure University women's basketball team came up just short against Loyola Chicago Saturday afternoon, falling 58-55 at the Reilly Center.
Laycee Drake paced the Bonnies with 18 points, four rebounds and three assists while Brillana Boyd chipped in 14 points and four boards. Gabby Robinson and Elyse MacDonough finished with eight points each.
The Bonnies (15-13, 6-10 A-10) got off to a slow start Saturday as the Ramblers (13-14, 9-7 A-10) jumped out to a 13-2 lead with 3:28 to play in the first.
Drake converted on an and-one as the first-quarter clock was winding down to pull the Bonnies back within seven after one, 17-10.
Following a Loyola Chicago basket midway through the second, the Bonnies used a 6-0 spurt to take their first lead of the game, 20-19, with 3:22 to play in the half.
The Ramblers, however, closed the first half with an 8-0 run, taking a 27-20 advantage into the halftime locker room.
Gabby Robinson and Drake chipped away at the Bonnies deficit early in the third, cutting the Rambler lead to three, 31-28, following a pair of Drake free throws.
Trailing by four later in the third, Robinson and Boyd converted at the rim to tie the game, 35-35.
Drake ended the third on a personal 5-0 run to give the Bonnies a four-point, 40-36, lead heading into the final frame.
The Ramblers quickly tied the game in the fourth, getting layups from Alexa Kindas and Rosalie Mercille.
Drake and MacDonough pushed the Bonnies back ahead by five just a few possessions later before Loyola's Alexus Mobley cut the lead to one on a three with 5:22 left to play.
The Ramblers regained the lead on a quartet of free throws from Kinas.
Boyd was quick to give the Bonnies the lead right back with a basket underneath with 4:12 left to play.
Kinas and Mobley would get the next six points for Loyola as they took a 54-49 lead with just over two minutes to play.
Kira Chivers put the Ramblers up by three, 58-55, with a late free throw.
On the following possession, Drake had an open look to tie the game, but her shot fell short as Loyola captured the win.
GAME NOTES
- The Bonnies finished the game shooting 34.0 percent (18-for-53) and 23.1 percent (3-for-13) from beyond the arc.
- Bona's registered 16 bench points to Loyola's nine.
- The Ramblers narrowly outrebounded the Bonnies, 38-37.
QUOTES FROM HEAD COACH JIM CROWLEY
"We dug ourselves a hole at the start of the game. Battled all the way back and then dug a hole again in the second. Battled all the way back and I thought we were in a really good place with a five-point lead. We were doing a good job rebounding and then they really started attacking the basket and we couldn't stop fouling. Credit to (Alexus) Mobley, she hit a big three to cut it to one and then had the big foul. I thought we at least made them earn some scores but we just gave away too many possessions in the fourth quarter."
UP NEXT
The Bonnies head out on the road for the final time in the regular season to take on George Washington Wednesday, Feb. 25. Tipoff is set for 6:00 p.m. in the nation's capital.
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