With ‘Jordan-type shots,’ Loville earns spot in Boise State women’s basketball history
Derek Loville left his house in Arizona at 6 a.m. to make sure he arrived in Las Vegas in time to see his daughter, Jade Loville, and her Boise State’s women’s basketball team play UNLV at Cox Pavilion.
It was the first time this season that Derek Loville got to see his daughter play in person because of restrictions on spectators, a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Jade Loville made sure her dad’s early-morning drive was well worth it.
The 5-foot-10 junior guard set a program record with 40 points in the Broncos’ 85-59 victory over the Rebels on Wednesday afternoon in Mountain West action. Loville broke the previous record of 39 points established by Miquelle Askew against San Jose State on Jan. 20, 2016.
“It was definitely something I’ve dreamed of. But you don’t really go out and say, ‘You know what? Today I’m going to set a school record,’ ” Loville said in a postgame Zoom interview. “But it started happening early, and when Coach P came up to me and said I only needed a few more points, I was ready to go back in and definitely get it. I’m just grateful that he believed in me and he trusted my shot and ... we got out of here with the dub.”
Loville’s 40 points are tied for the most in Mountain West history by a junior and tied for the sixth-most overall in conference history. The single-game record is 45 points from Utah’s Kalee Whipple against TCU in 2010.
“She was like at 36 (points) and we were up by about 25 or something,” Boise State coach Gordy Presnell said. “I had my director of (operations) Julia (Fishman) get on the phone and get on the internet and look at the record book. It turns out (the record) was 39. I was like, ‘We’ve got to give it a shot.’ So we put her back in and she knocked down a couple. I’m really excited for her.”
Loville made her first four shots of the game and finished the first quarter with 14 points. She scored 10 points in the second quarter to single-handedly outscore the Rebels by halftime, as the Broncos led 45-23. Loville’s 24 points at the half tied the school record set by Shalen Shaw.
Loville added 12 points in the third quarter and broke the record on a baseline jumper with 5:49 remaining in the fourth quarter. She went to the bench 11 seconds later after shooting 19-for-28 from the floor (67.9%). The 19 made field goals are a program and Mountain West record, surpassing the 17 field goals made by New Mexico’s Cherise Beynon (2018) and Fresno State’s Candice White (2018).
“This was like perimeter shots. It was Michael Jordan-type shots,” Presnell said. “It was a good night for our program and a good night for Jade.”
Loville is one of just four players in Boise State basketball history — female or male — to score 40 points or more in a single game. Chandler Hutchison (2018), Ron Austin (twice in 1971) and Carl Powell (1979) each accomplished the feat for the men’s team.
Having her father and little sister in the stands Wednesday proved inspirational for Loville, as did a pregame text from former teammate Jayde Christopher.
“It means the world to me. My dad has paved the way for me. He taught me so much,” Loville said. “That’s my mentor, so to do it in front of him, I wouldn’t want it to be any other way.”
The Broncos and Rebels play again at 3 p.m. MT on Thursday. A livestream is available at BroncoSports.com/mwn.
BOISE ST. 85, UNLV 59
BOISE ST. (10-6, 7-6 MW)
Jade Loville 19-28 2-4 40; Alexis Mark 6-7 0-0 12; Kimora Sykes 3-4 0-0 8; Elodie Lalotte 2-6 1-2 5; Mallory McGwire 2-6 0-0 5; Rachel Bowers 2-2 0-0 5; Cristina Gil 1-2 0-0 3; Anna Ostlie 1-3 1-2 3; Abby Muse 1-8 0-0 2; Mary Kay Naro 1-5 0-0 2; Martina Machalova 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 38-74 4-8 85.
UNLV (10-8, 8-5 MW)
Nia Johnson 4-15 3-6 12; Desi-Rae Young 3-11 2-3 8; Anna Blount 2-3 3-4 7; Jacinta Buckley 2-8 2-2 7; Jasmine Singleton 1-4 5-8 7; Delaynie Byrne 3-9 0-0 6; Jade Thomas 1-2 2-2 5; Keyana Wilfred 2-3 0-0 4; Bailey Thomas 1-5 1-2 3; Citalli Gurrola 0-0 0-0 0; Tianna Carter 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 19-63 18-27 59.
Boise St...................... 22 23 24 16 — 85
UNLV.......................... 10 13 14 22 — 59
3-point goals — Boise St. 5-12 (Sykes 2-3; McGwire 1-3; Gil 1-1; Bowers 1-1; Naro 0-1; Machalova 0-1; Ostlie 0-1; Loville 0-1), UNLV 3-20 (Buckley 1-4; Thomas 1-2; Johnson 1-6; Byrne 0-5; Thomas 0-3). Fouled out — None. Rebounds — Boise St. 52 (Mark 14), UNLV 33 (Byrne 6). Assists — Boise St. 25 (Naro 11), UNLV 12 (Johnson 3). Total fouls — Boise St. 22, UNLV 7. Technical fouls — None. A — 50.
This story was originally published February 10, 2021 at 5:07 PM.
