NEW ORLEANS - SSAC regular season play started with a rematch of the 2023 Championship Game Thursday night in The Den at No. 14 Loyola, but it was the Wolf Pack who was able to find the last clutch moment in an instant classic Thursday night as the Lady Eagles fell 91-87 in the SSAC Game of the Week.

The game featured 16 lead changes and nine ties with insane dramatics in the fourth. Loyola opened the quarter up 66-62 and got the first basket to go up six. Dee Guinn and Nequoia Adams each got buckets to cut the deficit to 68-66 before a Ruthie Smith three following a Wolf Pack free throw tied it at 69 with 7:31 to play. 

Loyola kept the Lady Eagles from scoring for nearly three minutes, but Faulkner's defense buckled down as the home lead only got up to six. A couple more buckets from Adams cut it back to three, but Sandra Cannady opened it back to 78-73 with 4:05 to play. 

Neely Johns entered a different dimension over the final four minutes. She hit her first bucket of the quarter at 3:47 to bring it within three but Lizzy Ratliff converted an and-one play to cancel and add more to the Wolf Pack advantage. Johns knocked down a pair of free throws in return and then Morgan Holland sunk two more at 2:35 to bring it to 81-79. 25 seconds later, Johns buried a three to give Faulkner a one point lead. Ratliff answered right back at 1:42 to swing the lead back home. Johns hit another three with 1:22 for Faulkner to go up 85-84. 

Loyola got a bucket to fall with 34 seconds to play to take a temporary lead but Johns put Faulkner ahead once again just 10 seconds later. With 12 seconds to go, Libby Thompson hit a three to put Loyola up 89-87. Faulkner turned over the ensuing possession and had to foul to try to get the ball back but Cannady hit both free throws to ice it away. 

"In a breakout offensive game for both teams, credit Loyola for getting the necessary defensive stops to finish it," head coach Reed Sutton said. "Nothing to hang our heads about. Neely, Morgan and Nequoia shot it well. Everyone played their role as best as they could. We will more a more confident team coming out of this for sure." 

Johns ended with a career high 23 with 12 coming in the final four minutes of the game. She also snagged eight boards. Adams had her second straight game with 20+ with 22. Holland added 17 and just one rebound shy of a double-double. Evaiah Burrows had 10 points and six boards. Kinlee Varnell had seven rebounds.

Loyola has always proved to be a tough place to play for the Lady Eagles who were within 10 for just the second time since 2013 in New Orleans against the perennial national contender.

The Lady Eagles look to bounce back on the road Saturday at Mobile as SSAC play continues.  Read Full Article