New Orleans, La. - The Lady Eagles traveled to New Orleans, on Saturday for a noon tip-off. Faulkner and the Wolf Pack started the game off trading buckets for the first half of the quarter. Loyola led most of the way until the Lady Eagles took the lead back at the 1:08 mark of the first quarter. Faulkner lost their lead again in the second quarter but quickly gained it back and held the lead for the remainder of the game. The Wolf Pack kept the game close as they never let the Lady Eagles extend the lead past 11 points. The Lady Eagles pulled away in the last minutes of the fourth quarter to pick up the win 71-63.
The Lady Eagles found themselves down early in a close game. The Wolf Pack held the lead until the end of the first quarter when
Nequoia Adams nailed a jumper from behind the arc to tie the game at 17 all.
Ruthie Smith followed Adams with a three of her own to put the Lady Eagles ahead. Loyola pulled back within one but Smith pushed the lead back to three with a jumper for the last bucket of the first quarter.
The Wolf Pack started the second quarter by taking the lead back early. Midway through the quarter, the Lady Eagles took the lead back after a pair of jumpers from Smith and Adams, Loyola scored on the next trip down to pull within two. The Lady Eagles then went on an 11-0 run behind Smith, Adams,
Ella Jane Connell and
Grace Anne Rose. Loyola pulled within eight on the next couple of trips but Faulkner ended the quarter up 10 after a jumper from Smith.
In the second half, The Lady Eagles continued to push the game forward and hold on to their lead. The scoring continued behind Adams and Smith as they combined for 21 of 32 second-half points. The Wolf Pack came within five points several times and almost made a comeback late but Faulkner held on as they put the game away with several trips to the free throw line. The Lady Eagles picked up their second SSAC win and the program's first road win at Loyola. The final score sat at 71-63.
Ruthie Smith and
Nequoia Adams went off as a duo for the Lady Eagles. Smith had her seventh double-double of the season. She put up 28 points and 18 boards. Adams went for 21 points 5 rebounds and six assists. She shot 41 percent from the field and went nine for 10 from the charity stripe.
The Lady Eagles (8-9, SSAC 2-5) return to action on Saturday, Jan. 25, as they host Abraham Baldwin for the first time. The two teams face off in their first match-up at Noon.
