WASHINGTON – The George Washington women’s basketball team pulled within three points of the lead twice in the final minute but was unable to complete the comeback, falling to visiting Loyola (Md.), 70-62, on Sunday afternoon at Charles E. Smith Center.
Four Colonials finished with double-figures led by senior Tara Booker who posted 12 points on 6-of-12 shooting. Senior Tiana Myers and junior Danni Jackson each added 11 points apiece and junior Shi-Heria Shipp posted 10 points and three rebounds in 16 minutes off the bench.
GW (5-5) allowed 60+ points for the first time since Nov. 16 as Loyola (4-5) drained 10 threes on the afternoon. The Greyhounds were led by Katie Sheahin, who scored a game-high 28 points, with four three-pointers and seven assists.
After a slow start in which the teams shot a combined 18-for-55 (33 percent) in the first 20 minutes, the Colonials used an 8-0 run to close the half and take a 26-23 advantage into intermission.
GW, which entered the game ranked first in the Atlantic 10 and 13th in Division I in three-point field goal percentage defense, allowed five first-half threes but limited the Greyhounds to just four made baskets inside the arc in the opening 20 minutes.
Loyola led by as many as seven points at multiple points in the second half but the Colonials were able to stay in the game by shooting 45 percent (15-of-33) from the field in the second half.
Trailing by seven with 1:03 left in the game, Jackson sliced into the lane and hit an acrobatic layup to cut the deficit to five. On the ensuing inbounds pass freshman Chakecia Miller stole the ball and found Shipp for an uncontested layup to pull within three with 50 seconds left.
A pair of Loyola free throws pushed the lead back to five but Booker drilled a 15-foot jump shot to pull the Colonials back within three. It was as close as GW would get as Loyola used clutch free throw shooting to put the game away down the stretch.
The Colonials finished with a 41-33 advantage in rebounds, including a 17-7 edge in offensive boards. However, GW was only able to score 10 second-chance points despite the advantage on the offensive glass.
GW returns to action on Thursday afternoon with a matinee at local-rival George Mason. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m. from Patriot Center.
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