MOBILE, Ala. –The Spring Hill College (SHC) women's basketball team's futility versus Loyola University (La.) stretched to 24 games and a 14^th season as the Badgers fell 84-75 in a non-conference loss at the Arthur R. Outlaw Recreation Center on Friday evening as part of the Jesuit Basketball Spotlight (JBS) series sponsored by the Association of Jesuit Colleges & Universities (AJCU).
 
The Wolf Pack (8-3) trailed the Badgers 25-19 at the end of the first quarter, but roared back to take a 41-37 lead by halftime. The third quarter was a wash as the both teams scored 15 point apiece, but guard Zoie Miller of Loyola began to take control of the game with numerous backdoor layups from both sides of the basket that SHC failed to defend.
 
A long jumper by SHC sophomore guard Elise Reilly pulled the Badgers to within 58-54 with 9:17 on the clock, but the final nine minutes saw Loyola grab a 14-point lead at 76-62 following a Miller pull-up 3-point jumper from the top of the key with 3:44 remaining. SHC rallied to make it an 82-75 deficit with 28 seconds left off a 3-pointer from the right side by sophomore forward Tiffany Valentine, but could draw no closer.
 
Senior guard Jewel Hill led Spring Hill by scoring 27 points along with seven rebounds. Valentine pitched in 16 points and guard Daja Walker added 12 points. As a team, SHC shot 45.6% (31-68) from the floor and 36.8% (7-19) from 3-point distance. The Badgers lost the ball nine times against six steals by Loyola and shot 75% (6-8) from the free throw line.
 
For the Wolf Pack, Miller found 24 points to pace four Wolf Pack players in double-digit scoring. Loyola made 47.7% (31-65) of their shots including 31.3% (5-16) from behind the 3-point arc while losing 17 turnovers to seven Badgers steals. The Wolf Pack went to the free throw line 18 times and made 17 of their attempts for a 94.4% result. Breyah Richardson came off the Wolf Pack bench to haul down a game-high 10 rebounds as Loyola out-rebounded SHC 48-23 under the boards including 20 offensive rebounds that they converted into 24 second-chance points. By contrast, SHC had 10 offensive rebounds for nine second-chance points.
 
The Badgers (6-2) next visit the William Carey University (WCU) Lady Crusaders (2-4) for a non-conference game at Clinton Gymnasium in Hattiesburg, Miss., on Saturday at 2 p.m.
 
The 28 Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States are located in 18 states and the District of Columbia. The institutions range from major research universities to comprehensive universities; from smaller colleges and universities that combine the liberal arts and professional studies to one strictly liberal arts college. In addition to being among 221 Catholic institutions and 1,600 independent colleges and universities in the United States, American Jesuit colleges and universities are part of a network of approximately 189 Jesuit institutions of higher learning throughout the world, thus having the distinction of being at once local, national and international.