Jan. 7, 2006

Final Stats

CHICAGO - Loyola snapped a season-opening 13-game losing streak with a 73-65 victory over Cleveland State on Saturday afternoon in the Gentile Center. The Ramblers move to 1-13 overall and 1-2 in the Horizon League, while the Vikings drop to 3-11, 1-2 HL.

Loyola shot 45.6 percent from the floor (26-57) while limiting CSU to just a 35.4 percent effort (29-82). The Ramblers were 8-of-17 from behind the three-point line (47.1 percent), while the Vikings went just 4-for-26 (15.4 percent). Loyola also made 13 free throws to just three for CSU.

Cleveland State controlled the action for most of the first half, holding a 23-16 lead with 6:49 remaining. However, the Ramblers responded with a 12-0 run fueled by a trio of Mandy Mennella three-pointers, eventually closing out the half on a 21-2 jaunt to take a 37-25 lead into the locker room. The Vikings were saddled by foul trouble as starters Dominique Butler (four minutes) and Nicole Thomas (10 minutes) each picked up two early fouls.

CSU pulled to within five (56-51) at the 7:36 mark of the second half, but could draw no closer as the Ramblers were able to answer every Viking run with a key basket.

"We continue to struggle to keep our focus for an entire 40 minutes," CSU head coach Kate Peterson said. "The lapse at the end of the first half was compounded by the fact that we struggled shooting the ball tonight, especially from the outside. On the bright side, I was pleased at how our freshmen stepped up and contributed today."

Natalie Miller scored a career-high 15 points and grabbed five rebounds to pace CSU. Omega Harrington also tallied 15 points, while Butler added 12 points and six rebounds.

Mennella led all scorers with 22 points on the strength of six threes, while Danielle Lonie notched 17 points and nine rebounds.

Cleveland State returns home on Thursday, Jan. 12 to host UW-Green Bay at 5:00 p.m. in the first game of a doubleheader with the Viking men's team.