NEW ORLEANS – In its last game of 2025, the Loyola University New Orleans women's basketball team defeated Arkansas Baptist, 79-45, in The Den on Saturday. The Wolf Pack (8-2, 2-1 in SSAC) will return to the court when the calendar flips to 2026, hosting Warner (Fla.) on Friday, Jan. 2, at 12 p.m.
Loyola got off to an 8-0 start thanks to a quick bucket by Chandler Caver, an and-1 opportunity by Deniya Thornton, and an offensive rebound put-back by Alissa O'Dell. Caver scored again, but the Buffaloes made a couple of shots to cut the Wolf Pack's lead to 10-6 at the halfway point of the first quarter. Caver and SeQuoia Carroll both hit 3s during the next couple of minutes, 19-10, then Jada Washington scored three quick points, 22-10. Carroll put the finishing touches on the quarter with another score to give Loyola a 16-point lead after 10 minutes of play.
Caitlin Travis started the second quarter with a 3-pointer as the shot clock expired, 29-10, and two free throws by Caver capped off a 16-0 run that lasted more than seven minutes of game time between the first and second quarters. Thornton added Loyola's fourth 3-pointer of the game, and a score by O'Dell put the Pack ahead 36-14 at the mid-way point of the frame. Thornton added eight more points the rest of the way, including an old-fashioned 3-point play and a 3-pointer from the corner, to send Loyola into the break with a 47-21 advantage.
Tiarra McPipe got the scoring started in the second half, and the lead quickly became a 30-point lead, 53-23, after another score from the freshman. The Buffaloes outscored the Wolf Pack 12-7 for the rest of the quarter to bring the game's score to 60-35 with 10 minutes remaining. Madi Walters got on the board in the fourth quarter with a 3, 65-35, then Addison Luker, Tiana Smith and Kaylee Dublin scored their first points from the free-throw line, 72-41. Smith and Dublin both added a couple more field goals, as the Wolf Pack cruised to victory.
Pack Facts
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Alissa O'Dell posted a double-double for the third consecutive game, finishing with 15 points and 13 rebounds to go along with a block and a team-high five assists. She now has five double-doubles in 10 games this season and 11 in her Wolf Pack career.
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Deniya Thornton also tallied 15 points, leading the team with two makes from behind the three-point line. She added five rebounds, four assists, and three steals.
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SeQuoia Carroll scored 11 points for the third game in a row, needing just 13 minutes to do so. She's now logged double figures in scoring in each of her last five games.
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Chandler Caver put up double digits in the scoring column for the second time this season, finishing with 10 points, plus four assists and three steals.
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Against Arkansas Baptist, 11 different players scored at least a point for the Wolf Pack, with Tiana Smith (7) and Kaylee Dublin (4) matching or setting new season highs in scoring.
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Loyola has beaten Arkansas Baptist in all three of the teams' matchups dating back to 2003, with the Pack winning those games by an average of 32 points.
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