The American University women’s basketball team (5-15) fell to the Loyola Maryland Greyhounds (9-11) at home in Bender Arena by a score of 63-53 on Jan. 28. The Eagles looked to bounce back after a loss to Holy Cross on Jan. 24.
American last faced Loyola on Dec. 31, 2025, where the team lost 68-59. The Greyhounds won due to their offensive dominance in the paint, outscoring the Eagles 44-14 in the painted area.
Right away, sophomore guard Molly Driscoll drained a 3-pointer to set the tempo in favor of American. The Greyhounds responded by scoring on their next two possessions with two layups before junior guard Lexi Salazar gave the lead back to the Eagles with another 3-pointer.
Driscoll picked up two more points after drawing a foul and converting both free throws. After Loyola responded with a contested layup, Driscoll hit her second 3-pointer of the game giving American a 5-point lead.
Sophomore guard Madisyn Moore-Nicholson extended the Eagles’ lead with a layup, drawing a foul in the process. The free throw was converted, giving American an 8-point lead. The Greyhounds countered with a layup before Driscoll found the basket again with a floater.
Driscoll capped off her impressive first quarter with a corner 3-pointer, giving the Eagles a 5-point lead. American led 19-14, Driscoll responsible for 13 of those points. American’s success came from beyond the arc, as the team shot 4-for-5 from the 3-point range.
The second quarter was off to a slow start with neither team finding points in the first minute of play. Loyola scored two layups before Driscoll scored American’s first points of the quarter on a contested layup with 6:22 to go before halftime.
The Greyhounds quickly moved to a more paint-dominant style of play, which allowed graduate student forward Koi Sims to score on back-to-back possessions, tying the game at 21. A layup from senior guard Anna Rescifina swung the lead back in favor of American.
Sims would continue her fourth-quarter domination, driving to the basket on the next possession before following that up with an and-one basket that gave Loyola their first lead of the game. The second quarter ended in favor of the Greyhounds, 25-23. American only scored 4 points in the second quarter, including shooting 0-for-9 from beyond the arc.
American needed a spark in the third quarter, and they got it with a 3-pointer from freshman forward Charlotte Tuhy. Loyola countered the Eagles’ quick start with 6 straight points before Moore-Nicholson drew a foul, where she converted both free throws.
Loyola took a 6-point lead after connecting from beyond the arc for the first time with 7:18 to go, but momentum shifted back in favor of American through an and-one layup by Rescifina. A successful free throw brought the deficit to 3 points.
After a layup by the Greyhounds, a spin move into the paint by Rescifina lost two defenders in the process, eventually finding her way to the bucket to keep the deficit at 1 point. A layup on the next possession by Rescifina gave American a 37-36 lead, which also brought Rescifina’s total to nine points.
Moore-Nicholson increased the lead to three points after a crossover into the paint turned into a wide-open jumper. On the next possession, Loyola entered the bonus. The Greyhounds sent Driscoll to the line, who scored both free throws to bring the lead to 5 points.
The Greyhounds kept struggling as Driscoll picked up a steal off the inbounds pass before hitting a deep 3-pointer to give American an 8-point lead. The Eagles ended the third quarter up 45-38, outscoring Loyola 22-14 in the third quarter.
Loyola started the fourth quarter with back-to-back 3-pointers and two wide-open layups, setting the tempo for the rest of the quarter. After just four possessions, Loyola led by 1 point.
Graduate student Lex Therien continued the charge for the Greyhounds in the fourth quarter, picking up multiple steals and layups to extend Loyola’s lead. American finally found a chance at points through free throws with 4:22 left, ending a 15-0 run by the Greyhounds. During that span, American turned the ball over four times.
Tuhy picked up a foul on the next possession, making both of her free throws to decrease the deficit to 9 points. But a Loyola 3-pointer sealed the game for the Greyhounds, as they led by 12 with less than two minutes left. American did not score from the field in the fourth quarter, going 0-for-8 from the field.
After the game, head coach Kelly Killion acknowledged the team’s fourth quarter struggles.
“These guys are competing their butts off and that’s all I can ask of them,” Killion said. “When we learn to finish games and learn how to win completely in the full 40, I’m really scared for our opponents.”
A tough night for the Eagles came with a couple of small wins. Driscoll continued her outstanding sophomore campaign, leading all players in scoring with 20 points. American also showed precision at the free throw line, going 19-for-20 at the stripe.
The Eagles return home on Feb. 7 to face Navy for the National Girls & Women in Sports Day game.
This article was edited by Connor Sturniolo, Matthias Jaylen and Walker Whalen. Copy editing done by Avery Grossman, Jaden Maitland Anderson, Arin Burrel, Ava Stuzin and Nicole Kariuki.
