BALTIMORE - Senior Jade Edwards had the game-winner for the American University women's basketball team (19-8, 12-5 PL) on Saturday as the Eagles picked up a key win at Loyola Maryland, 49-48.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Edwards was held to only three points in the first half but came alive in the second, closing with 16 points and a team-high six rebounds.
• Senior Taylor Brown was next with eight points and pitched in three assists alongside sophomore Ivy Bales who led all players with four steals.
• The Greyhounds were led by a double-double effort from Lex Therien (14 points, 14 rebounds). Laryn Edwards and Devyne Newman added 11 points each.
• Loyola narrowly edged the Eagles, shooting 43.5 percent (20-46) to AU's 42.2 percent (19-45). Neither team shot well from line as American closed with 7 of 12 (.583) and Loyola 5 of 8 (.625). 
• Sophomore Emily Johns picked up seven points along with three from junior Karla Vres as the Eagles' bench outscored Loyola's, 10-4. AU also led in points off turnovers, 14-12, while the two teams tied in the paint, 24-24.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Loyola picked up an early 10-4 lead before a three from sophomore Riley DeRubbo brought American back within three heading into the media timeout.
• The Eagles struggled offensively, giving up seven miscues in the first 10 minutes including four in the final three minutes as Loyola took a 4-0 run to close the quarter at 14-8.
• American cleaned up the turnovers in the second quarter but still struggled to get on the board, hitting a four-minute drought while Loyola pulled ahead by as many as 12.
• A jumper from Bales got AU's offense rolling in the final five minutes, and the two teams nearly traded basket-for-basket until a 4-0 run from Edwards and Johns cut Loyola's lead down to six with three seconds left in the half. The Greyhounds had the final say, though, as a buzzer-beater three from Edwards sent the teams into the locker room with another nine-point margin at 35-26.
• The back-and-forth battle continued into the third quarter as the two teams drew even at 8-8 throughout the 10 minutes.
• Edwards came alive in the fourth quarter, scoring nine of her 16 points with a perfect 3-for-3 from the field and 2-for-4 from the charity stripe.
• An opening AU run behind points from Johns and Edwards made it a one-possession game at 43-40 with 6:55 left on the clock.
• Loyola hit its first basket with just over six minutes remaining to retake a six-point lead going into the media timeout. Johns continued the run out of the huddle, though, with a key three to send the Eagles on a 5-0 run to land within one at 46-45 with just over a minute left.
• Loyola finally found a response with a made layup, but Edwards added one of her own to bring the score to 48-47 with 18 seconds left on the clock.
• Down by only one point, the Eagles used up their remaining fouls and put Loyola's Therien on the line where she misesd both, sending AU back on offense. With four seconds left on the clock, Edwards drove through traffic and netted the game-winner, giving American its first and only lead of the night at 49-48.

POSTSEASON IMPLICATIONS

• American (12-5) now sits alongside Boston University (12-5) in second-place behind Holy Cross (13-4). Bucknell is in fourth at 11-6 in the league, followed by Lehigh at 10-6.
• AU has secured a top-four spot in the Patriot League postseason seedings and will host a quarterfinal game on Monday, March 7.

NEXT UP

• The Eagles will close their regular season in Bender Arena on Wednesday with a 7 p.m. start against Lafayette. 

For the latest on American University Women's Basketball, stay tuned to AUEagles.com and follow the team on Twitter (@AU_WBasketball) and Instagram (@auwbasketball).