Eagles handed 91-62 loss in opener by No. 14 Loyola

NEW ORLEANS, La. — The new era for A&M-Texarkana women's basketball got off to a rough start Friday as the Eagles were handed a 91-62 defeat by 14^th-ranked Loyola (La.) at The Den.

With just two returning players from last year's 29-2 squad that won the program's first Red River Athletic Conference title and earned a NAIA tournament bid for the first time, this version looked entirely different.

The Eagles (0-1) hung with Loyola for a bit before the Wolfpack finished the first half with a run and started the second half with another to turn a somewhat close game into a blowout. TAMUT was outscored in every period except for the fourth, when they already trailed by 30 points.

Jade Miller came off the bench to lead the Eagles with 16 points to go with three rebounds while Jaslyn Woods scored 14 and swiped a pair of steals.

The Eagles finished the night shooting 39 percent from the floor (24-of-62), 32 percent from long range (8-of-25) and just 40 percent from the line (6-of-15). Loyola forced the Eagles into 22 turnovers, outrebounded the visitors by a 48-35 margin and converted 24-of-31 free throws (77 percent).

A&M-Texarkana will be back in action Saturday afternoon when the Eagles take on William Carey University at 2 pm in Hattiesburg, Miss.