The Saint Louis University women’s basketball team dropped a pair of home games to conference rivals Xavier and Dayton at the Bauman-Eberhardt Center last weekend.
More than 1,700 faithful were in attendance for the Billikens’ first conference home game of the season against Xavier last Friday.
The game was a back-and-forth affair, with SLU taking a 2-0 lead on a bucket by senior Tyler McIlwraith. Xavier ran off six straight points and eventually led 13-6 before the Billikens mounted an 11-2 run of their own.
A three-pointer and two free throws by freshman point guard Theresa Lisch gave SLU a 17-15 lead. The Billikens later trailed 35-29, but threes by freshman Katie Paganelli and senior Rachel Diener gave SLU a 36-35 lead. The Billikens could only muster two points in the final 3:47 of the half and Xavier led 44-38 at the break.
Xavier opened the second half with an 11-4 run for a 55-42 lead. Later, trailing 58-47, Xavier reeled off nine straight points to take a 20-point lead, as the Billikens were unable to score for seven straight minutes.
SLU shot just 34 percent from the field, including a 25 percent clip in the second half. The Billikens were outscored 41-23 in the second frame, falling 85-61. The Musketeers, however, shot 55 percent for the game.
The Billikens had four players score in double figures: freshman Maggie Hennegan led with 20 points and eight rebounds, while Lisch scored 16 and Paganelli and McIlwraith had 10 points each.
The Billikens, however, failed to get a single point from the bench and gave up 56 points in the paint.
The Billikens continued their home stand on Sunday against Dayton. Despite another superb effort from Hennegan, the Billikens fell to the Flyers.
Neither team was able to assert itself in the first minutes, with the score deadlocked at 15-15.
The Flyers went on to score 15 straight points, while SLU staggered through a five-minute scoring drought.
A Paganelli three stopped the bleeding, and SLU trailed 34-25 at halftime.
Two free throws and a field goal by Hennegan to open the second half cut the deficit to five, but Dayton went on an 8-2 run to take an 11-point lead.
The Billikens rallied to within four, at 44-40, but the Flyers took control again to establish another double-digit lead
Although the Billikens trailed 69-58 in the final minute, they nearly pulled off a miraculous comeback.
Paganelli and senior Cara Young each hit two free throws before Young connected on a three-pointer. Dayton, however, made four straight free throws to preserve the win, 70-65.
Hennegan set career highs in points and rebounds with 22 and 15, respectively. Ten of the points came from the charity stripe, while nine of the rebounds came off the offensive glass.
Paganelli scored 17 points, and Young set a career high with 11 points. McIlwraith chipped in 11 points as well. The Billikens shot 39 percent from the field and allowed 40 points in the paint.
The Flyers featured five different players in double figures and were led by Jennifer Strong’s 16 points.
Hennegan was named Atlantic 10 Co-Rookie of the Week for the period ending on Jan. 14. She averaged 17.7 ppg, 8.3 rpg, shot 55.9 percent from the field and had four steals. This is the second time she won the award this season.
The Billikens (8-9, 0-3 A-10) play St. Joseph’s at home on Sunday. Tip-off is slated for 1 p.m.
