DUBUQUE, Iowa - The University of Dubuque women's basketball team was back inside the Stoltz Sports Center on Saturday afternoon after being on the road over their last four games. Lilly Craig scored a career-high 19 points and had 10 rebounds for her first career double-double as the Spartans fell 86-75 to the Central College Dutch.

The Dutch scored the games first basket before Lilly Craig scored her first points of the night from beyond the arc to take their first lead. Grace Brumley would knock down her first three of the afternoon to give the Spartans a 8-6 lead. The Dutch went on a 7-0 run in the middle of the quarter that gave them a six point advantage through 10 minutes. 

The Dutch extended their lead to double digits, but a 8-2 run by the Spartans that was capped off by an Avery Green three-point play brought the Spartans back to within five with 2:44 before the half. The Dutch went back up by double digits late into the second quarter, but a Taylor Martin three with 40 seconds left had the Spartans trailing 42-33 at the half. 

The third quarter was even with 21 points scored by each team as teams traded baskets for much of the quarter. The Spartans got nine of their 21 points at the free throw line in the third on 11 free throw attempts

The Dutch got their biggest lead of the game (76-61) with 6:33 left, but the Spartans managed a 13-2 run over the next 2:20 to pull within four as Zoe Njus buried a triple in the corner to give the Spartans all the momentum. 

After the Dutch built their biggest lead at 15, the Spartans held them without a field goal for the final 6:33 of the game. The Dutch did make 10 free throws over that stretch to keep them ahead at the final buzzer. 

Craig finished the game with a career-high 19 points and also grabbed 10 rebounds for her first career double double. Christina Simonetti added 17 points, while Martin and Green each ended with nine points. Off the bench, Brumley scored 11 points and Njus was a perfect 3-3 from beyond the arc to finish with nine points. 

The Spartans as a team shot 44.4% from the field and was 50% from the three-point line. The Spartans got to the line 28 times, making 20 of them. 

Up Next
The Spartans will be back home next Wednesday night (Feb. 11) when they host the (RV) Coe College Kohawks at 5:30 p.m.