Box Score
(Seattle, Wash.) - Two last second free throws by Loyola-Chicago was the difference Saturday, as the University of San Francisco women's basketball team fell 65-63 at the Seattle University Thanksgiving Tournament in the Emerald City. The Dons (1-6) and Ramblers (4-2) traded the lead four times in the final five minutes before a foul was called with .5 of a second left.
San Francisco came out strong in the third place game; going up by has many as 15 early. The Dons started the game with a 17-6 run, including a 7-0 stretch, which included three baskets from deep.
The Ramblers were deterred and continued to fight to take a lead at halftime. Down 27-16 at 6:37, Loyola-Chicago led the Dons to two points over the final minutes of the stanza. The Ramblers closed out the stanza with a 15-2 run, taking a 30-29 lead at halftime. The one point deficit was the first time in the game that the Dons had been on the lower end of scoring.
In the second half, the two teams teetered back and forth as the lead changed hands six times, with it knotted six as well. A jumper by Taj Winston put the Dons up 58-53 at 4:57, but by 2:58 the Ramblers had regained a two point edge.
After the lead changing hands two times, a foul was called on Loyola-Chicago. Winston drained two baskets from the charity stripe to tie the game 63-63. Following a timeout by the Ramblers, Loyola-Chicago in bounded the ball and brought it up the court. Troy Hambric missed two layups and it appeared that time had expired with overtime looming, but a whistle had blown at the buzzer.
The officials called a USF foul with .5 of a second remaining, and sent Hambric to the line for two shots. Hambric hit both baskets, securing the 65-63 win for Loyola-Chicago.
Rheina Ale paced USF on the evening with 14 points, size rebounds and three assists. Joining the senior guard with double-digit scoring efforts was Winston and Mel Khlok. Winston posted a dozen points, while Khlok added 10 for her sixth 10-plus scoring effort of the season.
Whitney Daniels led the USF defense with nine boards. The junior narrowly missed out on a double-double with eight points.
Four players with a dozen or more points, including a double-double effort from Simone Law, led Loyola-Chicago.
San Francisco continues its current road trip Wednesday as it faces Colorado in Boulder. The game will be aired regionally on ROOT Sports TV. Tip is scheduled for 6 p.m., PST.
