At this time last year, the women’s basketball team was 1-21. On Saturday, the Wolfpack tied a record with its 14th victory of the season at Tougaloo in Jackson, Miss. The ‘Pack won, 67-56.
Finance freshman Marjorie Bilinski led all scorers with 26 points, 12 of which resulted from her 13 free throw attempts. Bilinski also had 10 rebounds.
Criminal justice sophomore Dani Holland led the team with 12 rebounds. General studies freshman Kiely Schork added 14 points.
Holland is second in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics with 9.55 rebounds per game.
Loyola only shot 35 percent from the field but converted on 41 percent of its three-point attempts. Tougaloo only shot 21 percent from beyond the arc.
The Wolfpack also shot 95 percent from the free-throw line to the Bulldogs’ 69 percent.
Sociology junior Joelle Bordelon, who has the second-highest assists-per-game average in the NAIA, had five assists against Tougaloo. She averages 6.45 assists.
Schork is also a national statistical leader. She leads the nation with four three-pointers per game. All four of her baskets against the Bulldogs came from beyond the arc.
The ‘Pack, which was barely picked to finish ahead of the LSU-Shreveport Pilots, who joined the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference this season, is a serious contender in the conference.
Loyola is now fifth, but only a half game behind Spring Hill and two games behind Mobile. It is exceedingly unlikely that the ‘Pack will catch Xavier or Dillard, who have only one loss each. But Loyola was within two possessions of both teams.
Loyola fell to fifth by losing to William Carey in Hattiesburg, Miss., on Monday. The Crusaders, who had only won two conference games before the contest, got off to a fast start and led 35-26 at halftime. Despite 21 total points by Bilinski, the ‘Pack’s comeback fell short, 66-62.
Loyola (14-7, 5-5 in the GCAC) is scheduled for a rematch against city rival Xavier, which Loyola lost to by four points, on Saturday.
I feel proud of my team, their steady play, and (their) persistence.”
Plaisance said that the Wolfpack will “step it up against highly-ranked Xavier on Saturday.”
~ With reporting by North Landesman
