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Feb. 28, 2019
It’s not over yet ... The Lorian
S ports
also found the net from beyond the arc only this time with eight seconds left in the first half giving Loras the lead 16-14 going into the second quarter. The Wartburg Knights was able to balance the scoreboard early in the second quarter but the Duhawks were quick to respond by Jon quinn with back-to-back triples sports editor from sophomore forward The Loras College men’s Courtney Schnoor and seand women’s basketball pronior guard Taylor Brooks, grams are making this seaforcing a six point gap in son one to remember as both front of the Knights. The teams qualified for the divimomentum continued to sion three NCAA basketball shift back and forth between tournament. However, both the two teams. teams did not win their conWith the end of the secference, Wartburg College ond quarter approaching, over the women’s team and Wartburg was able to tie Nebraska Wesleyan Univerthe game at 30 but the Dusity over the men’s team. photo courtesy of loras college athletics hawks weren’t satisfied. With Both teams were able to Senior guard Ryan DiCanio (from left), senior guard Demond George, senior guard Josh Ruggles, sophomore four seconds left in the half, move on because both re- forward Cole Navigato and first-year forward Jordan Boyd return to the court for the second half of the American redshirt junior guard Kari ceived a bid to qualify. About Rivers Conference tournament championship at Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln. Fitzpatrick sank a 3-pointer, 20 teams in the NCAA divigiving her team the lead at energy to the game,” said senior til freshman forward Jordan Boyd said George. sion three receive a bid to the break. Also on the road was the womqualify for the tournament. Both guard Demond George referring found the net off a floater. To start The momentum tide seemed to teams have above 20 wins during to the Nebraska Wesleyan game. the second half, the Duhawks ac- en’s team in Waverly, Iowa against flow in Loras’ interest in the third the season however, records no “Unfortunately we gave it our all celerated during their next few Wartburg College. The women’s quarter with the Duhawks extendpossessions resulting in finishing team saw Wartburg two times longer matter when it’s tournament but fell short.” ing their lead to eight with 54 secNebraska Wesleyan declared 5-6 of their shots. earlier in their season going down play because anything can happen. onds remaining after a Fitzpatrick George was grinding defensively twice, (64-76) and (49-68). Hence, The women’s team will play the their status of a No. 1 nationally 3-pointer. Going into the fourth DePaul University Tigers on Fri- ranked team to start the game with obtaining five steals, one of them the team took a different approach quarter, the tide once again shiftday, Mar. 1 at 4:30 p.m. in Oshkosh, a 12-4 run. However, Loras proved was dished out to senior guard this time. Wisconsin. The men’s team will they are a threat after responding Ryan DiCanio for a corner three “Going into the game we were ed and found itself favoring the play the Albion College Britons with an 8-0 run to tie things up at pointer, cutting the Prairie Wolves really excited for another chance Knights. Loras attempted to hold Friday at 5:30 p.m. in Naperville, 12. On the next possession, senior lead to 12. Nebraska Wesleyan then at Wartburg,” said sophomore for- the lead for the last quarter but Illinois. DePaul has an impressing guard Josh Ruggles made a hustle laid on the gas pedal going on an ward Marissa Schroeder. “We just Wartburg went on a 17-4 run. Loras fell short and went ice cold winning percentage of .857 with a play and saved the ball from going 11-0 run for three minutes, push- wanted to go in and play relaxed, hitting 1-of-7 from the floor. Schrorecord of 24-4 overall. The team out of bounds and feeding soph- ing the lead out of reach for the have fun, and just play hard.” eder added two with a set of free went 15-1 in NCAC conference omore forward Cole Navigato for Duhawks, ending 79-97. Like the men’s game, the womthrows. Unfortunately, Loras’ lead play and has been on a nine game a layup and a foul to tie the game “A couple mental lapses on de- en’s team struggled to find their win streak going into the NCAA again at 14. fenses halted our comebacks a cou- groove until junior guard Macen- was blighted as Wartburg blazed National tournament. Nebraska Wesleyan then re- ple times but our mindset now is zie Kraemer drained a shot from through the quarter ending 61-73. Schroeder added a team-best Albion has also had a strong sponded with a 10-0 rally while that it’s a new season and we have beyond the arc to tie the game at season with an .704 winning per- holding the Duhawks scoreless to be the best team that we can be 10. Kraemer wasn’t the only one of nine rebounds throughout the centage with an overall record for nearly five minutes of play un- and the rest will take care of itself,” on fire; junior guard Riley Eckhart game as Eckhart tallied 15 points which gave the Duhawks the of 19-8. Albion is also on lead for the majority of the a three-game win streak game. Senior forward Hanwhich aroused from their na Stokes finished the regMIAA Conference in Michular season tied for fourth igan. Their conference reall-time free-throw percentcord stands at a 10-4 while age at 83.8, tying Bava’s mark the Loras College men’s from 2009-10. basketball team holds a 12-4 Both the men’s and womconference record and a .778 en’s team were huddled winning percentage from a around computers on Mon21-6 overall record. day to watch the NCAA SeNeither of the Loras Collection Show. The women’s lege basketball programs are team was seeded No. 4 in on a win streak due to the last week’s regional rankings, American Rivers Conferwhile the men’s team was ence Tournament. The womseeded No. 3 in the region. en’s team was riding a sevBe sure to tune in on en-game win streak which these games on Friday on birthed after their previous duhawks.com. encounter with Wartburg “We were all so excited to College. Before the men’s get another chance to play team lost to Nebraska Wesand be with the seniors,” leyan, they were riding a said Schroeder. “Seeing our five-game win streak. name pop up on the bracket “It’s a tough environwas so rewarding know that ment to play in and it was photo courtesy of Loras College Athletics all we’ve done this season has a long distance to travel so Junior guard Kari Fitzpatrick drives the lane and floats one over a Wartburg defender during the American Rivers we wanted to try and bring Conference championship game in Waverly, Iowa. paid off.”
Both basketball programs earn bids to the NCAA Div. III tournament
