DUBUQUE, Iowa - For the third time this season, the University of Dubuque men's basketball team is set to face the Loras College Duhawks in what is anticipated to be a packed Stoltz Sports Center for tip-off on Thursday, February 24 at 7:00 p.m. The Spartans are no strangers to the Duhawks, as they last played a week ago where the Spartans went to Loras and squeaked out a 92-91 win. The Spartans also captured a win against the Duhawks back in January, 70-64. The #5-seed Duhawks are coming off a first round victory over the #4-seed Wartburg College Knights in Waverly, Iowa 77-62 to advance to face the Spartans. The Spartans had a first round bye as they earned the #1 seed in the conference tournament. 

Last Time Out Against The Duhawks
Last Wednesday night, the Spartans would take care of business in a nail-biter as the Spartans captured the 92-91 victory over the Duhawks. Jaylin McCants was the leading scorer for the Spartans with 19 points and six rebounds. Four other Spartans reached double figures in scoring: Sam Kilburg (14), Peter Ragen (12), Josh Hammer (11), and Levi Scheuermann (10). The Spartans were able to shoot well against the Duhawks as they shot 63.5% from the floor and 52% from 3-point range. The Spartans will be looking for this formula to pull out another victory in their semifinal match-up. 

The Spartans enter the 2022 American Rivers Conference tournament winning 13 of their last 14 games and winners of their last five. The Spartans are looking to win back-to-back conference tournament titles after they won the conference tournament last year on a shortened season where there was only a conference champion. Unlike last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the winner of the conference tournament will receive an automatic bid into the Division III NCAA Tournament. The last time the Spartans made it to the NCAA Tournament was in the 2014-2015 season after earning the automatic bid by winning the IIAC tournament. 

Coach Robbie Sieverding commented  on tomorrow night's game against Loras "We are looking forward to a competitive high level college basketball game on Thursday night. Our guys understand the importance of every game this time of the year. We hope to see a great crowd in Stoltz Thursday night at 7:00!"

Semifinals - Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022
#5 Loras College at #1 University of Dubuque (Stoltz Sports Center, 7:00 p.m.)
#3 Coe College at #2 Buena Vista University (7:00 p.m.)    

Championship - Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022
Saturday, February 26 
Time & Location: TBD