DUBUQUE, Iowa - The University of Dubuque women's basketball team concluded their non-conference schedule on Friday night taking on the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) Raiders. The Spartans were supposed to face MSOE in Milwaukee on December 16, but a referee issue resulted in the game being played tonight on Jon Davison Court inside the Stoltz Sports Center. MSOE took the lead in the opening minutes, but the Spartans were able to gain control with ease beating the Raiders 70-45. 

MSOE would catch the Spartans by surprise in the first four minutes of the first quarter as they would lead for the first 6:50 of play in the first quarter and grab their biggest lead of the game at 5-10 before a Madi Petersen layup gave the Spartans their first lead of the game. The Spartans would hold a slim 15-13 lead after one. The Spartans offense would come to life in the second quarter as they put up 23 points and held the MSOE offense to only 10 points resulting in a 15 point lead at the half, 38-23. 

The Spartans would keep the same pace going out of the locker room as they would get their largest lead of the game with 1:03 left in the third at 60-31. The Spartans would sit their starters for most of the fourth as 17 Spartans saw minutes for coach Justin Smith as they took down the Raiders 70-45. 

Leading scorer for the Spartans, Tabria Thomas ended her night in three quarters with 19 points on 6-10 shooting and 5-6 from the charity stripe. Thomas is edging even closer to 1,000 points for a career. Isabella Tierney was the other Spartan reaching double figures with 12 points. Kathleen Mathias had the defensive hands tonight as she was able to notch six steals with five coming in the first half. 

The Spartans were dominate in the paint tonight, doubling the Raiders 36-18. For back-to-back nights the Spartans continue to force turnovers as they forced 24 MSOE turnovers and turned them into 21 points. The Spartans finished the game making half of their shots at 26-52 (50%) from the floor and 12-16 (75%) from the free throw line. 

Up Next
The Spartans women's basketball team will now turn their attention for the rest of the season to the American Rivers Conference with a home game against the Coe College Kohawks due up to open the New Year on Wednesday, January 4. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.