DUBUQUE, Iowa (Duhawks.com) - The Loras women's basketball team continues their non-conference schedule this week with contests against Division II Winona State on Tuesday and UW-Platteville on Saturday.
 

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ALL-TIME SERIES AGAINST WINONA STATE
On Saturday the Duhawks will travel to Minnesota for their fourth all-time meeting with Winona State. Loras posts an overall record of 1-2 in the three previous games against this Division II competitor. These teams met in the 1987-88, 2001-02, and 2008-09 seasons with the Duhawks claiming victory in the inaugural meeting.

LAST MEETING AGAINST WINONA STATE
The most recent matchup between the Duhawks and the Warriors was in 2008 at Winona. Loras assistant coach Jamie Majerowicz was a senior for the Warriors at the time. The Duhawks were led by Lindsay Bava with 20 points. Alex Hudson fueled the defense with a game-high 12 rebounds.

SCOUTING THE WARRIORS
For the first time in program history the Warriors are ranked in the top 25 in the WBCA/USA Today Sports Preseason Poll and were picked as the favorite to win the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. Winona State is riding a six-game winning streak having returned their top seven scorers from last season. The team is currently led by Alexis Foley who received All-NSIC honors in 2015. She is averaging 14.2 points per game and four assists per game.

ALL-TIME SERIES AGAINST UW-PLATTEVILLE
The Duhawks will continue their string of non-conference matchups with a game against UW-Platteville on Saturday. The Pioneers own the all-time series record at 17-7, dating back to the 1975-76 season.

LAST MEETING AGAINST UW-PLATTEVILLE
Loras faced UW-Platteville in their season opener last year at the University of Dubuque Tournament. The Duhawks held the lead for the majority of the game, but a late comeback effort from the Pioneers with four minutes to play ultimately left the Duhawks with a 70-67 loss. Kaitlin Phillips scored a game-high 23 points while Lori Obendorf grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds.

SCOUTING THE PIONEERS
UW-Platteville is 1-2 on the season having recorded a victory against Silver Lake at the St. Norbert College Tournament. Having had four All-Wisconsin Conference selections graduate at the end of last season, the Pioneers have constructed a young team, which includes ten freshman. The Pioneers are led by freshman Morgan Horstman who is averaging nine points per game. Former Loras standout Brit Kent is in her second year as a graduate assistant coach for UW-Platteville.

OBENDORF AS THE ANCHOR
Junior Lori Obendorf will be a key piece for the Duhawks on both ends of the court this season. Starting all 26 games last year, her 10.3 rebounds kept the Duhawks in matches. With an intimidating 64 blocks, teams this season will be wary of driving into the paint to score against her. Obendorf also averaged 9.4 points per game with an efficient .579 field goal percentage. The Duhawks will rely on her consistency and tenacious paint presence to be successful this season.

REBOUNDS APLENTY
Through two games in the 2015-2016 season Loras has dominated the boards. Heading into this weeks' games against Winona State and UW-Platteville, the Duhawks are out-rebounding teams 97-77, giving them an average of 48.5 rebounds per game. Loras will find success by winning these battles on the boards at both ends of the court. While defensive rebounds are important, the Duhawks have capitalized on offensive rebounds. In their first two games, Loras has converted 36 second chance points off offensive rebounds.

TALE OF TWO HALVES
Loras made a valiant effort against Carthage last week coming back from a 20-point deficit, but still fell to the Lady Reds by six, 64-58. It was a tale of two halves for the Duhawks who finished the first half with a field goal percentage of 14.7 percent and 18 points. Halftime adjustments from Head Coach Justin Heinzen helped right the ship, as Loras came out and shot 43.2 percent from the field, scoring 40 points in the process. Juniors Lori Obendorf and Erin Weaver each grabbed six rebounds to help tally 17 second chance points for Loras in the second half. To get back under the win column, the Duhawks will have to transfer this second half performance into a full 40 minutes.

POST PLAY MAKING THE DIFFERENCE
Loras has entered the season at an even 1-1. Offensively, the Duhawks have only outscored their opponents by just 3.5 points this season. While their opponents have taken more field goal attempts, the Duhawks have been more effective in the paint outscoring the competition 25.5-22. The Duhawks' powerful post players are contributing to this success. In addition to scoring, they are dominating on the defensive end of the court as well. Loras is out-rebounding opponents 48.5-38.5 per game and out-blocking them 4.5-3.5 per game.