CHICAGO (Interstat) — Austin Peay earned a 57-47 women’s basketball victory over Loyola Chicago at Joseph Gentile Center on Monday. The Governors improved to 7-2, while the Ramblers fell to 4-8 before an announced crowd of 390. Austin Peay used a 19-point second quarter to build a 27-18 halftime lead and maintained control despite Loyola’s 18-point third. The Governors dominated inside with 34 points in the paint. Anovia Sheals led Austin Peay with 15 points and eight rebounds. JaNiah Newell added 11 points off the bench. For Loyola Chicago, Brooklyn Vaughn scored 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the loss.

CHICAGO (Interstat) — The Austin Peay Governors used a dominant second-quarter surge and a commanding performance in the paint to secure a 57-47 victory over the Loyola Chicago Ramblers in a nonconference women’s basketball game Monday afternoon at Joseph Gentile Center. In a contest defined by defensive pressure and offensive struggles, the Governors separated themselves with a 19-point second period, building a lead the Ramblers could not overcome despite a third-quarter rally. The win improved Austin Peay’s record to 7-2, while Loyola Chicago fell to 4-8. The game’s decisive stretch began late in the first quarter and extended through the second. With the score tied at 8, Austin Peay closed the opening period with a free throw to take a one-point lead. The Governors then opened the second quarter with a 13-3 run, transforming a narrow edge into a double-digit advantage. The run was fueled by balanced scoring and stifling defense that held Loyola Chicago to just nine points in the quarter on 3-of-13 shooting. Guard JaNiah Newell, a Danville, Illinois, native playing in her home state, provided a critical spark off the bench during the run. She connected on two three-pointers in a 90-second span, the second giving Austin Peay a 24-14 lead and forcing a Loyola Chicago timeout. The Governors took a 27-18 lead into halftime, having held the Ramblers to 18 first-half points on 24% shooting. Loyola Chicago emerged from the break with renewed energy, spearheaded by forward Brooklyn Vaughn. The Ramblers opened the third quarter on an 11-4 run, cutting the deficit to 31-29 after a Vaughn layup assisted by Clara Djoko. Vaughn scored seven points during the rally, showcasing her inside presence. However, each time the Ramblers threatened, Austin Peay had an answer. Following the Loyola run, Governors guard Veronaye Charlton of Nassau, Bahamas, halted the momentum with a driving layup. Later, after Loyola pulled within 34-32, Austin Peay’s Anovia Sheals converted a three-point play and Charlton hit a three-pointer to push the lead back to eight. The Governors weathered the storm and entered the fourth quarter leading 42-36. The fourth quarter saw Austin Peay re-establish control through its interior game. The Governors scored 34 points in the paint for the game, compared to just 20 for Loyola. Sheals, a forward from Daytona Beach, Florida, was instrumental, scoring six of her team-high 15 points in the final period. Her layup with just over four minutes to play extended the lead to 48-44, and after a Loyola three-pointer, she scored again inside to make it 50-47 with 2:16 remaining. Loyola Chicago’s offense went cold when it mattered most. After Rosalie Mercille’s three-pointer made it 50-47, the Ramblers failed to score on their final five possessions, missing two field goals and three free throws. Austin Peay sealed the game at the foul line, with Charlton and Lameria Thomas combining to make four free throws in the final 35 seconds. Sheals finished with 15 points and eight rebounds for Austin Peay. Charlton added 10 points, five rebounds and five assists, while Thomas of Montgomery, Alabama, controlled the glass with 11 rebounds. Newell’s 11 points on 3-of-5 three-point shooting provided crucial bench production. For Loyola Chicago, Vaughn led all scorers with 15 points and added eight rebounds. Mercille, from Montreal, Canada, scored 11 points, and Alex-Anne Bessette of Quebec City contributed nine points, four rebounds and two blocks. But the Ramblers were hampered by 18 turnovers and shot just 28.8% from the field for the game. The announced attendance was 390. Austin Peay will host Berry College on Sunday. Loyola Chicago’s next game is at home against Davidson on Dec. 31. The most important part of the game was Austin Peay’s immediate response to Loyola Chicago’s significant third-quarter push. After the Ramblers cut a 13-point halftime deficit to just two points early in the third, the Governors could have faltered on the road. Instead, they executed a series of critical plays—a driving layup by Charlton, a three-point play by Sheals, and a timely three-pointer from Charlton—to rebuild an eight-point cushion. This sequence drained Loyola’s momentum and ensured Austin Peay maintained the upper hand entering the final quarter, ultimately proving to be the difference in a low-scoring, defensive battle.

Preview: Austin Peay Governors at Loyola Chicago Ramblers CHICAGO (Interstat) — A surging Austin Peay women’s basketball team will look to extend its winning streak when it visits Loyola Chicago in nonconference play Monday afternoon at Joseph Gentile Center. The Governors (6-2) enter on a two-game win streak following a 59-48 road victory at Illinois-Chicago on Saturday. They have won five of their last six, with the lone loss in that span a 74-56 defeat to Murray State on Dec. 6. Loyola Chicago (4-7) seeks to build momentum after a dramatic 69-68 road win over Northwestern on Thursday. That victory snapped a two-game skid for the Ramblers, who have struggled for consistency early this season. Austin Peay is led by guard Veronaye Charlton, who is coming off a strong stretch of performances. She recorded a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds in a win at Missouri-Kansas City on Nov. 29 and scored 17 points against Murray State. In the Governors’ recent win at Evansville, she dished out five assists. The Ramblers counter with guard Brooklyn Vaughn, their leading scorer in the upset of Northwestern with 19 points. Vaughn also posted 15 points and nine rebounds in a win at DePaul on Nov. 26, showcasing her ability to impact the game in multiple ways. Austin Peay’s defense has been a key to its success, holding opponents to 57 points or fewer in four of its six wins. Loyola Chicago’s offense has been held under 60 points in six of its seven losses this season, setting up a clash of styles. This is the final nonconference tune-up for both teams before holiday breaks. Austin Peay will host Berry on Dec. 28 to conclude its non-league schedule, while Loyola Chicago will prepare to open Atlantic 10 Conference play at home against Davidson on Dec. 31. Tipoff is set for Monday, Dec. 22, 2025, in Chicago.