No. 19 Wolf Pack defeat Firehawks to close home schedule 15-0

NEW ORLEANS — NAIA No. 19 Loyola University New Orleans women's basketball completed an unbeaten home schedule Saturday with a 72-64 Southern States Athletic Conference victory against Tennessee Southern.
 

The Wolf Pack (23-3 overall, 15-2 SSAC) finished 15-0 at The Den — the fourth unbeaten home record in the program's 31-year history and a program record for home victories in a season. 
 

Loyola won 19 of its last 20 games overall.
 

Four Loyola starters scored in double figures: Caitlin Travis with 15 points, SeQuoia Carroll with 14, Alissa O'Dell with 13 and Jada Washington with 10. O'Dell grabbed 10 rebounds in her ninth double-double this season, and Washington — one of four seniors honored after the game — made all three of her 3-pointers and scored in double figures for the first time in her four Loyola seasons.
 

Ashley Dickey scored 23 points for the Firehawks (20-5, 12-4), Ramie Reid had 11 points and nine rebounds, and Silkiari Vazquez-Troche had 10 points and nine assists. Tennessee Southern entered with a 14-game win streak and had not lost since 71-63 at home Dec. 6 against Loyola.
 

Loyola made 14 of its first 21 shots from the floor, led 40-24 at halftime and didn't trail the final 36:42. Madi Walters' 3-pointer at 5:03 of the second quarter gave Loyola its largest lead, 36-15. 
 

"We bounced back exceptionally well after the loss to Faulkner last weekend," Loyola Coach Kellie Kennedy said. "Being here for these last two games was significant. We have played well at home all season."
 

Loyola's No. 2 scorer this season, Deniya Thornton, missed the game because of a death in her family. "We knew that going in," Kennedy said, "and people stepped up in her absence and really did a great job."
 

Loyola outshot Tennessee Southern 53.1 to 38 percent from the floor. The Wolf Pack made 8-of-15 3-pointers for a season-best 53.3 percent. 
 

The other Wolf Pack seniors honored after the game were Carroll, Isabella April and Tiana Smith.
 

The Wolf Pack clinched Thursday the SSAC regular-season championship — Loyola's fourth in five seasons — and will be the No. 1 seed for the SSAC Championship tournament, which will begin Wednesday at Montgomery, Ala., in the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl. Loyola has a first-round bye and will play eighth-seeded Brewton-Parker or ninth-seeded Mobile in the quarterfinals at 4:30 p.m. Thursday (Feb. 26).
 

Pack Facts

• Jada Washington poured in a new collegiate career high of 10 points, sinking all three of her three-point attempts. 

• SeQuoia Carroll put up 14 points with four rebounds, two steals, and two assists. 

• Alisssa O'Dell notched her ninth double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. 

• Caitlin Travis led all scorers with 15 points, shooting 6-for-11 from the field. 

• Ava Shields was effective off the bench, with a block, three points, six rebounds, and a career-high six assists. 

• Chandler Caver also had six assists in addition to seven points. 

• Loyola shot 53.1 percent from the field and 53.3 percent (8-15) from deep. It was the team's best three-point percentage in a game this year. 

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