After finishing the first round of conference play without a win, Loyola women’s basketball coach DoBee Plaisance reflected that almost every loss has played out in the same fashion.
“We keep digging ourselves into big holes,” she said. “Then we start playing well but by then we can’t overcome the deficit. We make a run and get some good stops. But our shots just won’t fall. It’s nothing blaring. It’s just little things here and there.”
But Plaisance says she believes that better performances lie ahead in the next round of conference games.
“It’s just a matter of time before the shots start falling and then I’ll be smiling. We just have to stop digging ourselves into these holes.”
The final loss of the first round of the conference came Wednesday night in the Den against hated rival Spring Hill. The ‘Pack fell 64-48.
Trailing 50-33, Loyola (1-21, 0-8) went on a quick 8-0 spurt on back-to-back three pointers by Melissa St. Mary, management senior, and Stacia Jackson, communications sophomore. Then the two connected on a fast break to pull the Wolfpack to within 50-41.
The defense then forced three consecutive turnovers but the offense could not draw closer, failing to score on the next three possessions.
But the Badgers connected with back-to-back three pointers to extend the lead back to 15 points.
“When we made that run, it got exciting,” Carlee White, political science junior, said. “We knew it was very possible to come back. Then, those three pointers broke our backs. And our shots just didn’t fall.”
Plaisance echoed White’s sentiments and added that the shots to trim the lead under nine were good looks.
“We couldn’t get over that nine-point difference. Our shot chart is a coach’s dream but they just wouldn’t go in,” she said.
Loyola lost to Mobile 79-50 on Feb. 30. White led the Wolfpack with 14 points and Jackson added 13.
But the team couldn’t contain Mobile’s Crystal Coston, who was nine-for-nine from the field. She finished with a game-high 20 points and grabbed 12 rebounds.
According to White, the team has put the first round of conference behind it and is ready for a more positive second round.
“We’re going to be stronger when we start the next round of conference,” she said.
The ‘Pack starts that second round tomorrow against Xavier in the Den at 3 p.m.
