BALTIMORE - The Niagara women's basketball team could not sustain its halftime lead over the Loyola Greyhounds as the Purple Eagles fell 71-63 in their final regular season road game on Sunday afternoon from the Reitz Arena.

Niagara started the game on a 19-9 run with junior Liz Flooks and freshman Kayla Stroman combining for 15 points. Loyola scratched back into the game as the lead changed 10 times in the final eight minutes of the first half. Senior Jaclyn Konieczka drained a baseline jumper with 45 seconds remaining to give NU a 34-33 halftime lead.  

The Greyhounds regained the lead two minutes into the second and built a six-point lead midway through the half. Konieckza would bring Niagara within 52-49 with 6:30 left, before the Greyhounds went on a 11-2 run sparked by 3-pointers; it would be the closest NU would get for the rest of the game. Each Niagara rally was thwarted by big shots late in the shot clock by the Greyhounds. Loyola shot 56.0 percent (14-for-25) from the field in the second half and was 4-for-6 from behind the arc.

"We struggled with our transition defense and keeping them out of the paint and penetrating and kicking out to their shooters," head coach Kendra Faustin said.

Niagara was led in scoring by Stroman, who had a career-high 20-point effort on 8-for-18 shooting, and had five assists and four rebounds. Flooks added 18 points and Konieckza with 12 points and seven boards; Loyola's Meredith Tolley led the game with 21 points.  The Purple Eagles committed a season-low nine turnovers.

The Purple Eagles return home next weekend to round up their regular season schedule. Niagara hosts the Fairfield Stags on Friday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m.