DUBUQUE, Iowa (Duhawks.com) - After recording their first win in conference play, the Loras Men's Basketball team hosts last year's regular season and tournament champions, Central College.

ABOUT CENTRAL ...

At 9-5, Central has experienced a very hot and cold start to their 2014 season. While their nince wins includes an 11 point victory over top ranked Augustana, they've also lost by 27 points to Mount Mercy whom the Duhawks lost to by just nine points.

Colby Taylor leads the Central offense with 18.1 points per game, good for second best in the conference and two points higher than Mirko Grcic. Taylor also averages 10.6 rebounds per game, behind Grcic for the conference lead.

Overall, Central comes into this match boasting the second best offense and third highest scoring margin in the conference. However, coupled with the third worst defense in the conference, the Duhawks should be allowed to put up the shots necessary to earn the victory.

DUHAWKS EARN FIRST CONFERENCE WIN ...
After heartbreaking defeats to Buena Vista and Coe to start conference play, the Duhawks were certainly glad to be back at home facing Simpson College. It would be no easy task defeating the Storm as they entered into the match with a similar record. With an 11 point lead at halftime, the Duhawks were already out to their best start of the season. As it has all season, the outstanding play of Mirko Grcic paced the Duhawk offense. It seemed as if the ball was in his hands at least per possession. Grcic finished the game with 22 points, 15 rebounds, two blocks, two steals, and an electifying alley-oop slam.

COACH GORTON JOINS THE CENTURY CLUB ...
With the win over Simpson, Head Coach Greg Gorton reached 100 career Iowa Conference victories. In his tenth season at the helm, Gorton joins the likes of Buena Vista's Brian Van Haaften and Wartburg's Dick Perth as the only three current Men's Basketball coaches in the conference with 100 wins in the IIAC. All three of coaches are the longest tenured men's coaches in the conference. This accomplishment emphasizes the commitment Gorton has to his program as well as his athletes.

SCHNEIDER SETS NEW CAREER-HIGH IN POINTS ...
Ten points against Simpson on Wednesday marks a new career-high in scoring for junior Justin Schneider. In his first season as a starter, Justin has shown consistent improvement over what we have seen over the course of his previous two seasons. In just 19.8 minutes per game Schneider is averaging 5 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1 block per game on 50 percent shooting from the floor. These are all improvements over last season in which Scheider averaged 2.9 points and 2.8 rebounds per game on 49.1 percent shooting. The junior will look to continue to improve his play as the season rolls on.

GRCIC TIES SCHOOL RECORD ...
In the 2014-15 season opener, junior Mirko Grcic hauled in 26 rebounds, tying a Loras school record dating all the way back to the 1954-55 season. That year, Al Carew collected 26 rebounds in a game against St. Norbert College.