BILLINGS, MONT. (March 15, 2018) – The Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) women's basketball team got off to a slow start yet kept the game close throughout, but lost in overtime to Loyola University New Orleans (LUNO) 89-86. The Saints end their season with an overall 23-10 record, while the Wolf Pack  (26-5) advances to the round of 16 in the 2018 NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Championships presented by Wells Fargo.

Head Coach Christopher Minner commented, "We had a disappointing start, and that really hurt us. We missed four free throws at the end. We make one, and we win. We got a good stop, and then didn't block out. It was a good game to watch, but we should have won. When we get out-rebounded by 17 and miss free throws and layups, we don't win at the national tournament."

The Wolf Pack, the top-ranked team in the NAIA on defense, kept the Saints from scoring through the first four minutes of the game. Quintianna LeShore (SR/Indianapolis, Ind.) was finally able to make a field goal. Julia Rendon (SR/San Antonio, Texas) led a Saints, the top-ranked team on offense, to a 12-0 run to lead 12-9 with less than four minutes left in the first quarter. Within three minutes, the Wolf Pack took back the lead and ended the half with the 21-19 advantage.

In the second quarter, the Wolf Pack kept a slight lead through the sixth minute. With the score at 31-26, LUNO scored six quick points to take their first double-digit lead. Rendon made her second 3-pointer of the first half to erase the Wolf Pack's double-digit at 37-29. Rendon followed with another 3-pointer and a free throw, while Francesca Patrick (SR/Killeen, Texas) sank her free throw to end the half trailing by three at 37-34.

The teams had their first of three ties at 39 in the third quarter after Rendon's fourth 3-pointer. Destinee King (JR/Antelope, Calif.) made a field goal to give the Saints their first lead of the game at 43-42. After a made shot by Lena Wilson (SO/Converse, Texas), the teams tied again at 45 and again at 47. The Wolf Pack went on to the 59-51 lead with less than 30 seconds left in the quarter. They finished out the period leading the Saints 61-53.

Kasey Saldana (SO/San Antonio, Texas) made a shot off a turnover midway through the final quarter and was fouled. Her free throw took the teams to their fourth tie of the game at 61. OLLU then went up by five at 66-61, but a pair of 3-pointers from the Wolf Pack turned the momentum back to Loyola. After they went up by four, Rendon sank another 3-pointer to tie the game for the fifth time at 71 and again at 74. The Saints took a two-point lead with 41 seconds left in the fourth quarter. The Saints missed 3-of-4 free throws while LUNO's Di'Mond Jackson tied the game with less than a second left on the clock. Rendon had a chance for the win, but amid LUNO defenders surrounding her, she missed her 3-point shot and took the game into overtime tied at 78.

The teams tied the game at 80 and 82, and LUNO was able to pull ahead to win 89-86.

Rendon led the Saints on scoring with 21 points, including 7-of-19 from the field, 6-of-16 from 3-point range and one free throw. LeShore scored 17 points, followed by Wilson with 16 and Saldana with 12. King had a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds.

Kaila Anthony led her team with 24 points, followed by Zoie Miller with 20, Jackson with 16 and Paige Franckiewicz with 14. Jackson added 13 rebounds.

The Saints shot 30-of-80 from the field for 37.50 percent, 8-of-28 from 3-point range for 28.57 percent and 18-of-24 from free-throw range for 75 percent. Loyola shot 32-of-70 from the field for 45.71 percent, 12-of-28 from 3-point range for 42.86 percent and 13-of-24 from the charity stripe for 54.17 percent.

The Saints recorded 41 rebounds, while the Wolf Pack had 58. The Saints forced 25 turnovers while committing 12.