Nov. 27, 2009

Box Score

LOS ANGELES - Katie Paganelli scored a season-high 19 points, but host Loyola Marymount rode 59-percent shooting to an 87-61 victory over Saint Louis Friday afternoon in the opening round of the Courtyard by Marriott Los Angeles Westside Thanksgiving Classic.

Paganelli's 7-of-14 shooting effort included a 4-of-8 mark from 3-point distance, putting her one trey shy of tying her career high. Lauren Woods added 10 points and a team-high five rebounds for the Billikens (1-3), Amanda Kemezys scored nine points and Ashley Hanlen chipped in a career-high six points.

Alex Cowling led Loyola Marymount (3-2) with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Jenna Sybesma scored 15 points, while Renahy Young and Kavita Goss added 12 apiece.

In addition to its hot shooting from the field, Loyola Marymount connected on 79 percent (22-of-28) from the free-throw line and registered a 39-28 edge on the boards. Saint Louis was held to 36 percent from the floor and converted 10-of-15 (67 percent) from the stripe.

The Billikens' first three baskets were 3-pointers, with Paganelli hitting the first two and Bradley canning the third. Bradley followed with a steal and layup to give SLU an 11-10 lead, and Woods' driving layup put the Bills up 13-10 with 13:43 left in the first half.

Baskets by Young and Sybesma put Loyola Marymount on top to stay, 14-13, at the 11:52 mark. Those buckets ignited a 12-2 LMU run, including eight points from Sybesma, that put the hosts in front 22-15 with 8:18 remaining.

Saint Louis chipped away with Woods' conventional 3-point play and Paganelli's third trey of the half, and the LMU advantage was 25-21 at the 6:29 mark. But Goss and Cowling combined for 12 points in a 14-6 spurt that gave LMU a 39-27 halftime cushion.

Kemezys and Woods scored on two of SLU's first three second-half possessions to narrow the LMU margin to 41-31, and Woods later drained a trey to make it 51-40. But the Lions scored eight points on their next three possessions while blanking the Billikens three consecutive times for a 59-40 lead with 13:02 left. SLU drew no closer than 17 points the rest of the way.

The Billikens will play Montana (1-4) in the consolation game Saturday at 3 p.m. (CT).