AMES, Iowa (12/29/2006)—Colgate University got double-digit performances from three different players, but it was not enough as Loyola Marymount upended the Raiders, 85-57, in the opening women’s basketball game of the Cyclone Classic hosted by Iowa State University. Junior Caitlin Gillard (Vestal, N.Y.) led all Raiders with 16 points, while Jennifer Hall led the Lions with a game-high 21 points.

 

The first half proved to be deadly for the Raiders (1-12) as LMU (8-5) used a pair of double-digit runs to take a 19-point lead into the halftime break.

 

Colgate jumped out to an early 7-4 lead, but Loyola Marymount answered in a big way with an 11-1 run over the next 3:40 to go in front 15-8. The Raiders didn’t back down, as junior Molly Patterson (Euclid, Ohio) hit a three to cut the lead to four points at the 14:01 mark.

 

The Lions’ Amanda Patton hit a three to respond and spark a 15-2 that spanned just over six minutes. Jennifer Hall paced the streak with seven points, while Patton had six.

 

LMU just could not miss as they hit what appeared to be all of their shots down the stretch to head into the locker room ahead, 47-28. The Lions shot 58 percent from the floor in the first half, including 44 percent from long range. The Raiders shot 30 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes.

 

Coming out of the break, Colgate tried to make runs at the Lions, but LMU always seemed to have an answer. The Lions continued their hot shooting, hitting 53.8 percent of their shots from the floor and 50 percent from three-point land.

 

Sophomore Gretchen Polinski (Mansfield, Ohio) added 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting, while junior Molly Patterson (Euclid, Ohio) had 10 points. Polinski and Gillard both picked up six rebounds on the evening. The Raiders shot 36.2 percent from the floor for the game. LMU also had the advantage on the boards, outrebounding Colgate 43-26 for the game.

 

The Lions got 18 points from Amanda Patton and 12 from Ashlee Dunlap. Dunlap and Hall both had a game-high seven boards, while Patton dished out six assists. LMU finished the game at 55.9 percent from the floor and 46.7 from three-point range.

 

Colgate closes out its trip to Ames on Dec. 30, taking on Utah State (3-7) at 5 p.m. (CT), at Hilton Coliseum.