DUBUQUE, Iowa (Duhawks.com) - The 2015-16 season for the Loras women's basketball team commences on Friday night in the Athletic & Wellness Center as the Duhawks host Beloit at 7 p.m.

ALL-TIME SERIES AGAINST BELOIT •••
Loras has maintained a winning record over Beloit in the eight times the teams have met. Since the teams' first game in the 1982-83 season, the Duhawks post a record of 8-0 against the Buccaneers. Loras has consistently demonstrated an impressive offensive performance against Beloit having won these eight contests by an average of 19.25 points per game.

LAST MEETING VERSUS BELOIT •••
Last season the Duhawks defeated the Buccaneers 94-66 on their home court in Beloit. The teams continuously exchanged baskets throughout the first half, but Loras had a 39-38 lead entering halftime. The Duhawks came alive in the second half with their defensive pressure holding the Buccaneers to 28 points. Kaitlin Phillips fueled the offense with 14 points.

SCOUTING THE BUCCANEERS •••
Beloit finished the 2014-2015 season with an 8-15 record. The team was led by returning senior Lana Wieseman. Wieseman's leading marks in scoring (20.3 ppg), rebounding (8.6 rpg) and block shots (1.7 bpg) earned her All-Midwest Conference Honors. Joining her this season is returning junior Laura Panicali. The guard averaged 12.1 points per game and 5.0 rebounds per game for the Buccaneers a season ago. Buccaneers Head Coach Jennifer McCormick spent two seasons as Justin Heinzen's top assistant during the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons.

ALL-TIME SERIES AGAINST CARTHAGE •••
On Wednesday the Duhawks will travel to Carthage for these teams' 10th all-time meeting. Loras trails with a 3-6 overall record against this non-conference matchup. The previous nine contests between the Duhawks and Lady Reds have all occurred in the regular season with their first meeting dating back to the 1975-76 season.

LAST MEETING VERSUS CARTHAGE •••
Loras secured one of its three victories against Carthage last season. On Nov. 25, the Duhawks tallied their first home win of the season in a 62-54 defeat of the Lady Reds. Lori Obendorf provided a spark for the Duhawk defense with her career-high seven blocks. She also recorded nine points with 67 percent shooting from the field.

SCOUTING THE LADY REDS •••
Carthage ended the 2014-2015 season on a winning record of 15-11. Since the teams' last meeting the Lady Reds have lost two All-CCIW selections in forward Alexis Hahn and guard Kasey Kleiner. Kleiner will return this season as the team's Graduate Assistant Coach. Returning to the court will be senior guard Erin Thomas who averaged 8.5 points per game and 2.3 assists per game last season. She will be joined by five returners and seven freshman.

PHILLIPS CONTINUES TO LEAD •••
Kaitlin Phillips and Victoria May had great seasons for the Loras women's basketball team in 2014-15. Phillips and May were the top scorers for the Duhawks averaging 12.2 points per game and 11.5 points per game, respectively. With May lost to graduation, the Duhawks will need someone to join returning senior Phillips and fill the offensive void. The team will likely look to forward Lori Obendorf who averaged 9.4 points per game last season. Obendorf will be a strong force for the Duhawks in the front court.  

FACING TOUGH COMPETITION •••
The Duhawks will truly be tested this season as coach Heinzen has prepared a difficult non-conference schedule for his team. In December alone Loras will face UW-Oshkosh, Wheaton, and Wash.-St. Louis. The Duhawks will also travel to Winona, Minn. to take on Winona State University, a Division II competitor. It is coach Heinzen's hope that facing this tough array of opponents will better prepare the Duhawks for play in the Iowa Conference.

RETURNERS HEADING THE FRONT •••
The 2015 off-season proved useful to head coach Justin Heinzen, who brought in a well-rounded freshman class that will add depth to the already developed roster. Out of the top six girls who had the most minutes last year, Loras returns four of them. Senior Katilin Phillips (833 mins), juniors Lori Obdendorf (633 mins) and Kat Cabera (580 minutes) and sophomore Miranda Chapman (420 minutes) will all continue to improve from their previous seasons. Phillips saw 94 FGs and 144 rebounds within the 833 minutes she played last season. Odendorf will continue to be the dominant force at the post for the Duhawks. The junior is looking to begin her upper-classman campaign after leading the conference in rebounds (268) and blocks (64).

STRONG DEPTH IN DUHAWK ROSTER •••
In addition to the skill and leadership the upperclassmen bring, the Duhawks have a lot of members on their roster who are ready to step into the spotlight. Returning sophomores Miranda Chapman and Lauren Stanich are looking to capitalize on the playing time they received as freshman and continue to build their game. Last season, Chapman led the team in three-point field goal percentage, shooting 41 percent from beyond the arc. She made 17 three-pointers and averaged 1.6 per game. Stanich  will be instrumental in the guard position as she helps lead the offense in distributing the ball. These Duhawks will also be joined by five newcomers in what looks to be a strong recruiting class.

A DEFENSIVE OUTLOOK •••
Last season, a main focus of coach Heinzen's was defense. This explains why the Duhawks performed so well in the paint. Loras ranked second in the IIAC in rebounds with 40.1 per game and third in blocked shots with 3.2 per game. The Duhawks will likely employ a similar defensive strategy this season with the help of juniors Erin Weaver, Terese McMahon and Lori Obendorf controlling the post.