WASHINGTON – American University women's basketball fought to overcome its early shooting woes behind an impressive all-around effort from senior Ivy Bales, but the team ultimately fell 59-55 to the visiting Greyhounds of Loyola University Maryland.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Senior guard Bales did everything in her power to keep the Eagles in the game, contributing a career high 26 points. She also led the team with eight rebounds, six assists, and five steals, while also contributing a timely block in the effort.
• Graduate student Emily Johns added 20 points of her own, including a perfect 6-6 from the free-throw line.
• Bales and Johns combined for 46 points on the night.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Eagles came out cold, failing to record a field goal in the first quarter.
• Five free throws, including four from Johns, kept the game in reach, with Loyola leading 14-5 after 10 minutes of play.
• Bales finally recorded the Eagles' first field goal two minutes into the second quarter, making the score 18-7 in favor of Loyola.
• A quick layup by Johns on the subsequent possession helped American to build a 7-0 run to get the game back to within six, trailing 18-12 with five minutes left in the half.
• Strong defense, including a big block from guard Bailey Garbee, helped the Eagles keep the game within striking distance, holding the Greyhounds to 4-14 shooting in the second quarter.
• Individual efforts on offense from Johns and Bales, who combined for 19 of American's 25 points in the first half, helped overcome the Eagles' shooting woes and will them back into the game, trailing only by a point at the half.
• On the first possession of the second half, Johns hit a jumper to give American its first lead of the game.
• After Loyola jumped back out to a narrow three point lead, Bales exploded for six consecutive unanswered points, nabbing a momentum-shifting steal and a defensive rebound in the process to give the Eagles a 34-31 lead at the media timeout with 4:07 left in the third.
• With Loyola hitting a buzzer-beater, the teams went into the final frame deadlocked at 38.
• American again hit a shooting dry spell during the first four minutes of the fourth, finding themselves behind 47-43 with 5:48 to play.
• Bales again answered the call, recording a layup, and then coming up with a steal in full-court press defense, before finding Lauren Stack for the layup to re-tie the game with 4:27 to play.
• American took the lead again on the next possession, but Loyola responded with a  6-0 run to lead 56-53 with 37 seconds to play.
• The game came down to the wire, but the Greyhounds held on to give the Eagles their first loss in Patriot League play 59-55.

UP NEXT
American will stay at home to take on Lehigh on Saturday, January 20 at 2 p.m. in Bender Arena which will include a postgame clinic with each of American's women's sports teams in celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day. 
 
Tickets are on sale now at AUEagles.com/Tickets!
 
KEEP UP WITH US
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).