Butler Drops 76-67 Decision To Ramblers

Feb. 13, 2003

Final Stats

INDIANAPOLIS - Sarah Hamilton and Ciara Henderson each recorded 18 points as Loyola used a 12-4 second half run to defeat the Butler women's basketball team 76-67 on Thursday evening at Hinkle Fieldhouse. The loss was the fourth straight for the Bulldogs, as they fall to 4-18 overall and 2-9 in Horizon League action. Loyola improves to 9-14, and 6-6 in the league.

Nancy Bowden led Butler with 12 points and added game-highs of six assists and four steals to her totals. Cortney Urquhart recorded 10 points and eight rebounds and Jessica Monaco also chipped in 10 points.

Butler bolted out to an early lead as Lisa Pryor's three-pointer at 16:44 gave Butler an 11-4 advantage. Loyola fought back, cutting the margin to 13-11, but three straight point from Angel Mason boosted the Bulldogs' advantage back up to 16-11. Loyola continued to chip away at the lead, and finally got over the hump at 10:20, when a three-pointer by Henderson gave the Ramblers a 19-18 edge.

Loyola maintained a slim lead throughout the next six minutes until a pair of free throws from Bowden tied the game at 29. Loyola quickly broke the tie, and scored eight of the next 11 points, including a four-point play by Mandy Mennella, which gave the visitors their biggest lead of the half, 37-32 at 1:38. Dionne Goodwin brought the Bulldogs back on the ensuing possession, connecting on a three-point play of her own. Each team would score twice more before the end of the period, as Loyola went into the locker room with a slim 41-40 cushion.

Urquhart's offensive putback followed by five straight points from Stephanie Boeke pushed Butler out to an early 48-43 lead in the second half. Butler held a 52-48 lead until back-to-back baskets by Laura Milkert tied the game at 52 with 10:19 remaining.

Goodwin's layup gave Butler its last lead of the game, 54-52, as sharp shooting from the line ended up making the difference for the Ramblers. Henderson hit five of six attempts over a two minute stretch to give Loyola 57-54 lead. Butler was able to cut the lead to 59-57 off of Monaco's free throw, but five straight points from Sarah Hamilton bolstered Loyola's advantage to 65-57. The Ramblers lead grew to as much as 15 before the Bulldogs scored the final six points to end the game.

"We played a tough first half of basketball," said head coach Beth Couture. "We just couldn't respond to their runs in the second half. They picked up the pressure and the intensity in the second half, but we didn't and that ended up being the difference in the game."

Butler shot 41.4 percent (24-58) from the field, while the Ramblers posted a 46.6 percent clip (27-58). Each team finished with 36 rebounds on the game.

The Bulldogs will host Detroit on Saturday (Jan. 15) at 2 p.m.