Dec. 19, 2008
La Salle @ Loyola (MD)
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Reitz Arena
Game: Non-Conference
GameTracker
La Salle Explorers (5-5, 0-0)
Conference: Atlantic 10
The La Salle Explorers enter this game after evening out at .500 with a home win over Lafayette on Tuesday, 61-57. Lafayette ate away at a 16-point deficit midway through the second half, but a 9-1 La Salle run, which took place under the two-minute mark, put the Explorers ahead for good. Junior Morgan Robertson paced three Explorers in double figures and also set a game-high with 15 points, on 4-of-10 shooting from the field. Robertson, who went to the charity stripe more than anyone, made seven free throws, pulled down a team-high six rebounds and added four of her team’s nine steals on the evening. Robertson has now led the team in rebounds in the last nine straight games and has either led or tied the team-high in points in seven of the last eight games. Freshman Jenna Gilbert followed up with 14 points and senior Margaret Elderton was the final Explorer in double figures with 12 points and also added a game-high six assists and four rebounds. La Salle made 10 more free throws than Lafayette and also forced 18 Leopard turnovers on the night.
Loyola (MD) Greyhounds (6-3, 2-0)
Conference: MAAC
Following a five-game winning streak, the Loyola Greyhounds looked to add to their recent success, however, the No. 15 Maryland Terrapins showed why they are a nationally-ranked team, defeating the Greyhounds on Dec. 9, 83-52. In the loss, junior Kaitlin Grant and sophomore Meredith Tolley both chipped in with 12 points apiece and seniors Siobhan Prior and Ashley Alexander rounded out Loyola’s double-digit scorers with 10 points each. Grant was two rebounds shy of a double-double, finishing with a team-high eight, and freshman Mallory Lawes paced her teammates with four assists. Despite getting outshot from the floor and from beyond the arc, Loyola did manage to force 22 Terrapin turnovers in the loss. The Greyhounds have already picked up two conference victories over Manhattan and Rider earlier in the season, and in the latter part of August, Loyola went 3-1 in an Italian tour, which included a 121-54 victory over Palestrina – Italian ‘A’ Division.
Eye on an Explorer: Margaret Elderton
Senior Margaret Elderton has now scored in double figures in two of her last three games including tying a team-high 16 points and dishing out a team-high five assists against Morgan State. Elderton is second on the team in scoring (9.9) and is shooting 35.7 percent from the floor and 42.9 percent from beyond the arc.
Key Matchup: La Salle’s Frontcourt vs. Kaitlin Grant
The Explorers will need an entire team effort from their frontcourt if they want to negate any production on the part of junior Kaitlin Grant. Grant, who is averaging 12.7 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, has led the team in rebounds in the last eight games for the Greyhounds. The forward is shooting 51.6 percent from the field and 87.3 percent from the free throw line.
