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HAMILTON – Loyola head coach Joe Logan had to be a little disappointed Saturday watching Colgate's pregame Senior Day ceremony.
 
Because Randyll Butler was neither being honored nor preparing to graduate. Good for Colgate; bad for Loyola.
 
Butler tormented the Greyhounds yet again, sinking a free throw with 8.6 seconds remaining in a 54-53 Raiders win. Last year, Butler banked home an overtime jumper as the buzzer sounded in a 67-65 Colgate victory in Baltimore.
 
Saturday's triumph completed a two-game season sweep of the Greyhounds, Colgate's first of a Patriot League opponent since the 2010 edition doubled up Lafayette. And this victory could prove decisive as the Raiders and Greyhounds battle for home-court rights in the upcoming conference tournament.
 
Colgate and Loyola are tied for eighth place at 5-11 in the Patriot League with two games remaining. Both teams trail Lafayette (6-10) by one game, and the Raiders host Lafayette this Wednesday before finishing the regular season next Saturday at Lehigh.
 
The seventh- and eighth-place teams host Nos. 9 and 10 in the opening round of the tourney.
 

Butler's final free throw – she made the second of a two-shot opportunity – gave her a third double-double for the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Mariah Jones led the Colgate scoring with 14, thanks to four 3-pointers, and Missy Repoli scored 11 on the strength of three 3-pointers.
 
Colleen Marshall led Loyola with 17 points and a career-high seven steals.
 
Bottom Line
• Colgate 54, Loyola 53
 
Won-Lost Records
• Colgate improved to 6-21 overall and 5-11 in the Patriot League
• Loyola is now 7-20 and 5-11.
 
Winning a Close One
• Colgate came into Saturday 0-6 in games decided by two points or less.
• The closest margin of victory in a Raider win this year was 76-71 at Holy Cross on Jan. 7.
• That changed on Senior Day, as Colgate led for more than 36 minutes and never trailed.
• There were five ties, however, with the last coming at 53-53 when Loyola's Colleen Marshall sank two free throws with 1:04 remaining.
• The teams traded empty possessions before Colgate called timeout with 28.9 left on the game clock and 25 on the shot clock.
• Mariah Jones worked the time down before handing off to a driving Randyll Butler, who was fouled with 8.6 remaining.
• Butler, a 52.1 percent free-throw shooter, missed the first but swished the second to put the Raiders in front 54-53.

• Loyola inbounded the ball to Marshall, and she drove down the left wing before pulling up for a 3-point attempt. It looked true but hit off the front rim, and Colgate had its first close-call win of the season.
 
More Key Info
• Jones led the Raiders with 14 points. Missy Repoli scored 11 and Butler had 10 to go with 10 rebounds.
• It was Butler's third double-double of the season and fifth career.
• Other scorers for the Raiders were Josie Stockill with 8, Paige Kriftcher 5, Carole Harris 3 and Katie Curtis 3. Stockill led all rebounders with 11.
• Jones made a season-high four 3-pointers – one shy of her career record. She moved into fifth on Colgate's all-time chart with 145 treys. One more ties her with Sami Kozlowski (2008-11) for fourth.
• Jones hit two threes in each half, but the ones in the final 20 minutes were huge.
• The first came on the heels of a media timeout and put Colgate in front 46-43 with 7:05 remaining. The Raiders before that bucket were 4-of-18 from the field in the second half.
• Her second 3-pointer of the half made it 53-48 Raiders with exactly 3:00 to play. It was Colgate's last field goal of the game and last point before Butler's clinching free throw.
• Repoli claimed sole possession of second place in career 3-pointers at Colgate by making three Saturday. She's up to 162 after passing Meghan Curtin (2003-06) at 159.
• Colgate for the game tied its season-high with nine 3-pointers.
• Jones also moved into a tie for seventh in career assists at Colgate with 299. She had six – all in the first half – and needs one more to pass Kozlowski.
• Colgate shot 35.7 percent (20-of-56) from the floor to Loyola's 32.7 percent (17-of-52).
• Colgate made 9-of-20 from downtown and was 5-of-9 at the line. Loyola was 5-of-15 from three and 14-of-17 at the stripe.
• Rebounds favored the Raiders 44-32, but Colgate committed 24 turnovers to 19 for Loyola. The Greyhounds came away with 17 steals, led by Marshall's career-high seven.
• Marshall also led Loyola in scoring with 17 points. Her sister, Kara, added 12.
 
Greyhound Gremlin
• Butler for the second time in as many seasons lifted Colgate to a late-game win over Loyola.
• Saturday, her free throw with 8.6 seconds remaining was the difference in the 54-53 victory.

• Last year in Baltimore, Butler banked home a free-throw line jumper as the buzzer sounded in Colgate's 67-65 overtime win.
• She scored the last eight points of the game in that one as Colgate staged a furious rally.
• In both narrow wins over the Greyhounds, Butler posted double-doubles.
• The Raiders didn't need her heroics earlier this season in Baltimore, when Colgate put together a 72-45 win.
• Colgate is 3-1 against Loyola since the Greyhounds joined the Patriot League last year.
 
Turning Point
• The final 8.6 seconds.
 
From the Sources
• Colgate head coach Nicci Hays Fort (On the game) "I'm really happy for the team. We needed a win, and then we needed to know we could win a close game. Randyll went to the free-throw line and I knew she would make at least one, and that's what she did. And then we were able to keep the ball out of Marshall's hands just long enough that she couldn't get a clean look.
"She got a good look, but Mariah did a good job cutting her off so she couldn't get a 15-footer. She had to take a 23-footer instead. And we were able to get the rebound at the end, which was big."
(On the close margin) "I would like to have had a 10-point win just to take the seniors off the floor, but I'm not going to complain right now."
(On the seniors) "The four of them have meant so much. I'm sad for Steph that she wasn't able to be on the floor with us today, but they've all meant so much since the day I walked on this campus. I'm just happy they could have Senior Day with a win."
• Colgate guard Mariah Jones (On the win) "We really pulled through in the clutch and came up with a really big rebound at the end to seal the game. We all really wanted to come out on Senior Day with a lot of energy and do whatever it took to get this win."

(On Senior Day) "It's a lot more emotional than you expect it to be. It's really a blast and you get to see how much you've accomplished through the years."
(On guarding Marshall the last play) "We just wanted to keep her in front. We knew she was going to take the last shot, because she's their go-to player. So we made sure we got a hand up and contested whatever shot she took, and Carole came over for some help."
• Colgate guard Randyll Butler (On the second free throw) "I was certain I was going to make it. It's Senior Day and we wanted to get this win for the seniors."
(On the final possession) "Coach drew up a play we always run. She said to let the clock run down and just get to the rim."
(On her rebounding) "We actually had a competition today about who would get the most rebounds. Coach just wanted everyone to get on the glass and have a good night."
 
Gate Grab Bag
• Colgate before the game honored seniors Repoli, Jones, Harris and Steph Schultz.
• Attendance at Cotterell Court was 570.

 
Up Next
• Colgate continues its final homestand of the season when Lafayette visits Wednesday night.
• The Raiders lost 58-56 last month in Easton.
• Colgate trails the Leopards by one game in the Patriot League standings after Lafayette (13-14, 6-10) won 59-51 Saturday over Lehigh.

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