Chicago, IL - The La Salle women's basketball team heads to Rogers Park on Wednesday night to take on Loyola Chicago at Gentile Arena, as the Explorers look to get back on track in Atlantic 10 play following three consecutive losses. Their matchup with the Ramblers represent their longest road trip of the season by mileage, however the visiting team is undefeated in the all-time series.
Scouting the Ramblers
Despite sitting below La Salle in the Atlantic 10 standings, Loyola Chicago has won three of its last four games and owns notable non-conference victories over Power Five opponents Northwestern and DePaul. The Ramblers are coming off a road win at George Washington, fueled by a season-high 19 points from graduate guard Alexus Mobley. Freshman Alex-Anne Bessette has been a standout in her first collegiate season, leading Loyola Chicago in both scoring and blocks. She recorded her third 20-point performance of the year in the Ramblers' win over Saint Louis. On the defensive end, Alexa Kinas paces the team in steals and is coming off a seven-steal outing against George Washington.
La Salle and Loyola Chicago have met five times all-time, with the Explorers holding a 3-2 edge in the series. In last season's meeting, then-sophomore Joan Quinn scored 11 points and added five steals to help lift La Salle to a victory.
Third Quarter's the Charm
Despite losses in each of their last three games, the Explorers have controlled the third quarter. La Salle outscored Saint Joseph's, Saint Louis, and Davidson by a combined 29 points in the period, posting advantages of 24-8, 19-9, and 21-18 respectively. The third quarter remains the only quarter this season in which La Salle owns a positive point differential.
Stealing the Show
Aryss Macktoon is on pace to break La Salle's single-season steals record of 90, set by Ashley Gale during the 2010–11 season. Macktoon's 68 steals rank top-five nationally and lead the Atlantic 10. She has recorded at least one steal in every game this season, with multiple steals in all but one. Joan Quinn and Ashleigh Connor also rank among the league's top 15 in steals, helping La Salle lead the conference in team steals.
The Q Factor
Joan Quinn sparked a 24-8 third-quarter run at Saint Joseph's by knocking down three three-pointers to briefly give the Explorers the lead. After connecting on three more triples against Davidson, Quinn now leads La Salle in both three-pointers made and three-point percentage. La Salle is 6-3 when Quinn scores in double figures, as the preseason All-Conference selection is averaging 10.6 points, 2.8 assists, and 2.0 steals per game.
Getting Some Revenge
In the loss to Saint Louis, former Billiken Ashleigh Connor poured in a career-high 25 points while pulling down eight rebounds. After opening the season with three straight 20-point performances, the outing marked her first 20-plus scoring effort since that stretch.
Scoring in Bunches
Ashleigh Connor and Aryss Macktoon form the only duo in the Atlantic 10 with both players ranking top-10 in scoring. When the pair each scores 15 or more points, the Explorers are 4-1 this season, earning wins over Loyola (MD), Lehigh, West Chester, and George Washington. Both Connor and Macktoon also rank top-15 in the conference in steals, making them a two-way threat on both ends of the floor.
