Duhawks lose IIAC tourney opener to Spartans
Jon Denham, Sports Information Director
February 26, 2008

BOXSCORE

Tuesday's women's basketball game in the opening round of the IIAC tournament was the first ever postseason game to be held in the Athletics & Wellness Center at Loras College. The opponent was crosstown rival Dubuque. The teams had each won on the other's floor in the regular season. Loras was the #4 seed under first year head coach Justin Heinzen. They had won four games in a row and five of their last six. The game could not have started much better for the Duhawks, and yet, in the end, it couldn't have ended much worse.

The Spartans won Tuesday night's game by one point, 68-67, the closest between these two teams since February 1, 2006, when Loras held on to win in the Fieldhouse by two. The Spartans erased an early Loras lead (seven minutes into the game the Duhawks led 23-7) and held a slim 38-36 lead at the break. The Spartans made their free throws down the stretch to hold of the late Loras run and advance to the semifinals of the 2008 IIAC tournament.

No team held a lead greater than four points in the final 7:14 of the game. During the forty minute contest there were seven ties and eleven lead changes. What started out as a one-sided game turned into a late slugfest, with each team stealing passes and draining jumpers.

Individually, Loras was led in the scoring column by senior Natalie Pucci, who scored 20 points and added five rebounds, five steals, and two blocks. She completes her career third on the all-time scoring list at Loras, but also emerged as a defensive force as Tuesday's game progressed and her final season rolled on. Mindy Meyer was close behind with 18 points. Meyer also pulled in eight offensive rebounds. Lindsay Bava scored 10 to round out the double figure scoring for Loras. Seniors Sarah Wilson and Kelly McIntyre chipped in a combined eight points, six rebounds, and three steals in their final game.

Loras' last lead was with just under 2:30 remaining in the game. Dubuque's Katelyn Herrman  made a layup with just over 1:30 remaining to give the Spartans the lead for good. Loras battled back to within one when Lisa Morrissey made a three pointer from the right wing with 0:12 left. Forced to foul, the Duhawks sent Jennifer Nichols to the line. She made both of her attempts to extend the lead back to three. Dubuque was whistled for a foul and Lisa Morrissey made both of her free throws before once again sending Dubuque to the line. Courtney Musser missed the front end of the one-and-one bonus with six seconds on the clock and Loras scrambled to half court to win the game with a miracle heave. Natalie Pucci's toss glanced off the side of the backboard as the buzzer sounded and the Duhawks were left to shake hands and head to the locker room.

Jennifer Nichols led the way for Dubuque with 23 points on 7-19 shooting. Five of her made field goals were threes. She also made 4-4 free throws. Katelyn Herrman scored 10 of her 12 points in the second half, going five of six from the field and hitting two big jumpers from the center of the 2-3 Loras zone.

Dubuque shot 48% from the field to 38% for Loras. The Duhawks made 3-17 three-pointers after going 35-80 (44%) in the four game winning streak leading up to Tuesday night's game. Dubuque advances to play #1 seed and #10 nationally Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa on Thursday.

The team says goodbye to four seniors this season; Kelly McIntyre, Jessica Piasecki, Natalie Pucci, and Sarah Wilson. Each of these young women contributed in a variety of ways over the course of their careers and will be missed by their teammates and coaches.