NORFOLK, Va. – Molly Taylor's 3-point field goal from the right corner with 17 seconds remaining lifted Loyola (Md.) past the Norfolk State women's basketball team 61-58 in the Spartan's home opener on Tuesday.
Taylor's field goal erased a 58-56 Norfolk State lead and punctuated a thrilling, back-and-forth contest that featured 11 lead changes and nine ties.
The Spartans (1-2) trailed by 10 points to start the fourth quarter but clawed their way back on the strength of an 11-1 run that spanned four minutes and 22 seconds of the fourth quarter.
Alexys Long's jumper at the 6:59 mark pulled NSU to within seven, 53-46, and started the Spartans' surge.
NSU further chipped away at the deficit with two free throws by
Yazmen Hannah with 6:30 left in the game. Stephanie Karcz split a pair of free throws on the next Greyhound (2-3) possession, but
Khadedra Croker answered with a field goal to make the score 54-50.
On the next Spartan possession, Croker made one of her two free throws. Norfolk State then got a stop on the defensive end and followed with a made 3-pointer by Long to knot the score at 54-54 with 4:36 showing on the clock.
Kayla Roberts' free throw less than 90 seconds later gave the Spartans their first lead of the game since the 7:23 mark of the third quarter, but Alexis Gray answered with a jumper to give Loyola the lead again.
Raven Russell scored the Spartans' final points of the game when she connected from beyond the arc at the 1:09 mark. That shot made the score 58-56 and set up Taylor's go-ahead shot in the waning seconds of the game.
Norfolk State had the opportunity to answer but turned the ball over on the ensuing possession. Gray hit two free throws with five seconds remaining to give Loyola a three-point cushion. Gray scored a game-high 21 points for the Greyhounds on 7-of-19 shooting.
The Spartans led 29-28 at halftime on the strength of 11 points by Roberts. The senior from Miami, Florida shot 5-of-7 from the field and 1-of-2 from deep in the first half and finished the game with 14 points, 11 rebounds, three steals and three blocks.
Roberts' double-double is the 27th of her career and the first one recorded by a Spartan this season.
Both teams were slow out of the gates, and the game was tied 12-12 after the first quarter. The first period featured six ties, and neither team led by more than two points.
NSU built a seven-point lead with 2:29 before halftime only to have Loyola score the final six points of the period to make it a 29-28 game at the break.
The Greyhounds out-scored the Spartans 24-13 in the third quarter to build up a 10-point lead. Loyola went on a 13-2 run during the quarter, which was highlighted by a pair of 3-pointers by Gray. NSU committed four turnovers during the run and missed both shots they attempted. Hannah halted the run with a 3-pointer of her own at the 2:52 mark.
Long trimmed the Greyhound lead to 46-42 with a trey, but Loyola scored the last six points of the quarter to take a 52-42 lead into the final period.
Long and Russell scored 13 and 10 points, respectively, and were a combined 5-of-9 from behind the 3-point arc. As a team, NSU shot 40 percent (8-of-20) from 3-point range on Tuesday. Through three games, the Spartans have shot 40 percent or better from deep twice.
NSU controlled the glass, out-rebounding the Greyhounds 43-29. Karcz recorded a game-high 17 boards for Loyola.
Norfolk State recorded double-digit blocks for the third-straight game to start the 2017-18 season. Roberts and Croker both rejected three shots on Tuesday. Croker now has 13 blocked shots and has set or shared the game high in blocks in all three contests this season.
The Spartans lost the turnover battle for the second-straight game, turning the ball over a season-high 21 times to just 11 turnovers by Loyola.
NSU heads south to Boca Raton, Fla. for the FAU Thanksgiving Tournament this Friday and Saturday. The Spartans draw Bowling Green first at 2:30 p.m. Friday then play either host Florida Atlantic or St. Francis Brooklyn on Saturday.
