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Rachele Folino
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BALTIMORE – In its second consecutive one-point game, the Niagara Purple Eagles fell to the Loyola Greyhounds 64-63 on Friday night at the Reitz Arena. Rachele Folino (Novi, Mich.) led the game with a career-high 27 points and 10 rebounds in the game that was played live on ESPNU.
Niagara (1-24, 0-14 MAAC) entered tonight’s ESPNU game fresh off of a one point double overtime loss at the Fairfield Stags on Sunday. Tonight, the Purple Eagles gave the viewers in the arena and at home some more late second drama.
Down 62-61 with 28 seconds left, Niagara brilliantly executed an inbound play under the basket with a Liz Flooks (White Plains, N.Y.) layup to take a 63-62 lead. Loyola’s (9-15, 4-10 MAAC) Candice Walker answered by making an improbable fading-away jumper with 15 seconds left to give the Greyhounds a 64-63 lead.
Niagara would turn the ball over on its next possession and gave Loyola a chance to increase its lead. However, Walker missed the front end of a one-and-one free throw; Niagara got the rebound and called timeout with four seconds remaining.
Freshman guard Ali Morris (Parkersburg, W.Va.) went coast-to-coast, but her layup rimmed out as time expired.
“I thought our post-players played really well (tonight),” coach Kendra Faustin said. “We have played at a high-level in two consecutive games, but we are still learning how to pull a game out. We are peaking now and it couldn’t have come at a better time with the MAAC tournament in a few weeks.”
Flooks scored 11 of NU’s 15 points as the Purple Eagles dictated the temp and dominated the boards early on. Niagara had 14 offensive rebounds (out of 23) and forced 14 turnovers in the first half. At the 5 minute mark, Folino drove the lane for a layup to increase NU’s lead to 27-21.
The Purple Eagles were seconds away from a halftime lead, but Mallory Lawes drained a 3-pointer to end the half at 31-31
The second half was a see-saw affair with the lead changing nine times.
Folino led the game with a career-best 27 points and 10 boards en route to her first-ever double-double. Flooks added an additional 17 points, connecting on three 3-pointers.
Niagara will visit the Rider Broncs for a Sunday afternoon tilt.
