CHICAGO (Interstat) — A dominant fourth-quarter surge propelled the Loyola Chicago Ramblers to a 64-60 comeback victory over the La Salle Explorers in a women’s NCAA Division I basketball game Wednesday night at Joseph Gentile Center.

Trailing by as many as 11 points in the second half, the Ramblers outscored the Explorers 24-11 in the final period, erasing a six-point deficit entering the quarter to snap a two-game skid and improve to 8-11 on the season. La Salle fell to 10-9 with its third consecutive loss.

The game’s defining stretch came in the final minutes. With the score tied at 60 and under a minute to play, Loyola Chicago’s Alexa Kinas drew a critical foul and calmly sank both free throws to give the Ramblers a 62-60 lead with 10 seconds remaining. After a La Salle timeout, the Explorers’ inbounds pass was deflected and stolen by Loyola’s Kira Chivers, who was immediately fouled. Chivers also made both free throws, sealing the victory with 3.6 seconds left.

La Salle had controlled much of the contest, building a 32-29 halftime lead behind a strong second quarter and extending it to 49-40 late in the third. Kiara Williams of La Salle was a force throughout, scoring a game-high 20 points. Aryss Macktoon added 12 points for the Explorers.

But Loyola Chicago’s defense tightened in the fourth, forcing seven La Salle turnovers in the quarter. The Ramblers also found their offensive rhythm, shooting 50% from the field in the final period while holding La Salle to just 4-of-13 shooting.

Alex-Anne Bessette led the Ramblers with 18 points, including a crucial 3-pointer with 3:31 remaining that extended Loyola’s lead to five. Alexus Mobley contributed 13 points, and Kendall Hendrix provided a vital spark off the bench with seven points, all in the fourth quarter, alongside several key defensive plays.

The Ramblers’ efficiency proved decisive. They scored 64 points on just 68 possessions for an offensive rating of 94.1, while La Salle managed only 60 points on 74 possessions, an 81.4 rating. Loyola shot 47.9% from the field (23 of 48) compared to La Salle’s 41.4% (24 of 58). The Explorers hurt themselves with 20 turnovers, which Loyola converted into 18 points.

La Salle’s Ashleigh Connor, who entered as the team’s leading scorer, was held to eight points but dished out six assists. Loyola’ Alexa Kinas matched that assist total with six of her own to go with seven points and four steals.

The game began as a defensive struggle, with Loyola taking a 16-10 lead after one quarter. La Salle responded with a 22-point second quarter, fueled by Williams’ interior scoring, to take the lead into halftime.

The third quarter saw the Explorers maintain their advantage, but the Ramblers stayed within striking distance, setting the stage for the final-quarter rally. The comeback was fueled by balanced scoring and defensive pressure, with five Ramblers scoring during the 24-point fourth quarter.

La Salle, which had won four of its previous six games, continues its road trip at Saint Bonaventure on Saturday. Loyola Chicago, which entered the game with a 59.9% win probability according to Interstat’s ELO system, travels to face Saint Louis on Saturday.

An announced crowd of 420 at the Gentile Center saw the Ramblers improve to 6-4 at home this season, while La Salle dropped to 3-6 on the road.