DUBUQUE, Iowa - (2/15/23) The University of Dubuque Spartans played host to the rival Loras College Duhawks on Wednesday evening inside a packed Stoltz Sports Center. In the first meeting, the Spartans were defeated at Loras by a score of 63-39. Entering tonight's matchup the Spartans were looking to play spoiler against nationally ranked #24 Loras. However, the Duhawks post presence overpowered the Spartans in a 62-45 loss.

Unlike the previous matchup, the Spartans got off to a quick start scoring the game's first bucket by a layup from Morgan Hawkins. Halfway through the first quarter, the Spartans grabbed a 10-6 lead off back-to-back layups from Tabria Thomas. The Duhawks closed out the quarter by scoring a last second layup to even the game at 12 a piece. Both teams shot 5-11 from the field in the first.

The Duhawks jumped out to an 18-12 lead, thanks to a 6-0 run to start the second. The Spartans could not put the ball in the hoop as they went scoreless for four minutes near the end of the quarter. During the Spartans drought, the Duhawks capitalized on a 9-0 run to extend the lead to 11 (27-16) with a 1:18 left. As the quarter ended, the Spartans entered halftime trailing 31-20. The Spartans only made one field goal on 11 attempts in the second. Free throws kept them in the game as the Spartans went 6-11 from the charity stripe in the quarter. 

Out of halftime, the Spartans drew up a play in which a backdoor screen opened up Isabella Tierney for a layup to cut the deficit to nine (31-22) which was the closest the Spartans could get to the Duhawks. The Duhawks stretched out their lead to as many as 16 in the third (42-26). Once again, the Spartans only scored one field goal in third but converted on 8-8 attempts from the free throw line. 

Halfway through the fourth quarter, the Duhawks used another 7-0 run to increase their lead to 21 (53-32) with five minutes remaining. The Spartans continued to battle as they scored 15 points in the fourth. As the seconds ticked off the clock, the Spartans were defeated 62-45.

Senior, Tabria Thomas finished the game as the Spartans leading scorer and rebounder with 16 points and eight boards. She was 4-5 from the field and a perfect 8-8 from the free throw line. Isabella Tierney chipped in eight points and Kathleen Mathias added six. The Duhawks nearly doubled the Spartans in points in the paint as the Duhawks had 40 while the Spartans only had 22. On the night the Spartans shot 29% (13-44) from the field while the Duhawks shot 42% (24-56). The Spartans now fall to 13-11 overall and 7-8 in conference play.

Up Next
The Spartans will travel to Decorah, Iowa where they will face the Norse of Luther College for the final regular season game. Both the Norse and the Spartans will enter the contest with a 7-8 conference record. The winner of this game will get the #5th seed in the conference tournament. The game is scheduled to tip-off at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 18th.