Loyola women’s basketball team had a big night with their 30th GCAC win in a row, 90 – 69, over the University of Mobile.

Management sophomore Trenell Smith, who scored her 1,000 career point last week against LSU-Shreveport, had a game-high 23 points and six assists. Management senior Catherine Blanchard hit five 3-pointers, making up the entirety of her 15 points.

While the win was decidedly Loyola’s, for most of the night the outcome wasn’t so clear.

Loyola took control after Mobile scored the first two points of the game. Management senior Christine Mainguy, mass communication senior Kiely Schork and management senior Catherine Blanchard each nailed 3-pointers, giving Loyola an early 14-7 lead.

Mobile regained the lead, 28-26, with five minutes left in the half. But the ‘Pack didn’t let Mobile keep the lead for long, striking back with another 3-point shot made by junior Catherine Blanchard to make it 32-28.

Loyola would not relinquish the lead.

At the end of the first half, Loyola held a steady 41-35 lead.

It seemed as if Loyola Wolfpack was unstoppable in the second half, showing strong defense that fueled a 26-8 run. In one stretch, as they led 70-53, Loyola scored on four consecutive possessions, with two 3-pointers.

Mainguy took a fall with just three minutes left in the game, but she bounced back to help her teammates hold Mobile. By then, with the score 86-60, Loyola had the game locked up.

After the game, head coach DoBee Plaisance said she was “pleased with scoring 26 points in 25 turnovers.” In the second half, Loyola showed “a great test of our defense,” she said..

“We struggled in the beginning, but after that it just kept coming,” Trenese Smith said. “And we just played our game.”

Jess Burrola can be reached at [email protected].