For four years, Lady Bears seniors Lexi Hughes, Rachel Swartz and Onye Osemenam have been the caretakers of the women’s basketball program, fending off most foes trying to sneak away with a win.
The lowly Loyola Bulldogs, the Missouri Valley’s last-place team, made a surprisingly strong effort Sunday afternoon, leading by as many as 11 points. Eventually, the visitors relented to the seasoned Lady Bears (16-11, 12-4 in the Missouri Valley Conference), who won 61-52 in front of a sparse crowd of 2,420 at JQH Arena.
“They weren’t going to slip by us,” said Hughes, who admitted the team might have taken the 2-25 Ramblers for granted.