Thursday the Commandos suffered a double-overtime loss to New Trier for an 0-1 start.
“As long as I’ve been here, I’ve never heard of a team coming out 0-2,” Rogers said Saturday. “We want to work hard all the time. We want to win every time we step on the court.”
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Marshall stepped on Loyola’s court with purpose Saturday for a 50-48 victory in the New Trier tournament. Rogers considered it a “must” win for the No. 3 Commandos, who can breathe a little easier at 1-1.
Terranika Reynolds led Marshall with 17 points and Adrienne GodBold scored 12 in this matchup of former state champions. Rogers stepped up to not only score 13 but also grab eight rebounds– all in the second half.
“As a guard, your instincts are always to be around the ball,” said Rogers, who will sign this week with Massachusetts. “But I am one of the biggest guards in the CPS– I stand about 5-9. And I feel like if I’m strong enough to go out there and get the ball. There’s no reason to leave it up to anybody else.”
It’s not that No. 12 Loyola (1-2) played poorly– except for the first six minutes 32 seconds when the Ramblers committed seven turnovers and fell behind 9-1.
Loyola led 42-39 with 4:21 left in the game after Meghan Holy hit a 3-pointer. But consecutive baskets by Reynolds, Tatiana Walker and Rogers put Marshall back in charge.
A 3-pointer by sophomore Audrey Gaughan (her fourth) brought the Ramblers to within a point at 49-48. Reynolds hit one of two free throws with 11 seconds left, but Loyola couldn’t get a shot off in the final seconds.
Gaughan led the Ramblers with 12 points and Ashley Thomas added 10 with nine rebounds.
In other tournament play, unranked New Trier (2-0) rolled to a 65-20 victory over Simeon. Jessica Atlas and Maeve Campbell each scored 10 for the Trevians, whose first victory came over Marshall.