DUBUQUE, Iowa (Duhawks.com) - After finishing the regular season at 15-10 and 9-5 in the Iowa Conference, Loras begins the IIAC Tournament at home as the No. 4 seed and will host Wartburg, who earned the No. 5 seed.

ABOUT WARTBURG
The Knights enter the Athletic & Wellness Center on the heels of a road win in Pella, Iowa. Wartburg escaped with a win after Central's shot at the buzzer fell short.

The junior tandem of Kailey Kladivo and Bobbie Burrows have fueled the Knights in the latter half of Iowa Conference play. At center, Kladivo has done most of work in the paint. Leading the team in both points (13.8) and rebounds per game (5.3), Kladivo is Wartburg's first option on offense. A difference maker on the defensive end, Kladivo leads the Knights with 23 blocks on the season. Joining Kladivo in double-figures is Burrows (11.8 points per game), the Knights top option from beyond the arc. Shooting 39.4 percent from distance, Burrows boast a team-best 1.0 assist to turnover ratio.

Junior Kaitlin Phillips and senior Carly Goede will likely be tasked with suffocating Burrows on the defensive end. Inside, sophomore Lori Obendorf will have to keep Kladivo in check. Shutting down the Knights options on offense combined with limiting turnovers will be key for the Duhawks advancing to the semifinals.

DUHAWKS ESCAPE SIMSPON WITH OT WIN
Junior Kaitlin Phillips knocked down a 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded, ending regulation with the score tied at 59, and forcing overtime. In the extra minutes, Loras outscored the Storm 11 to 6. Free throws down the stretch sealed the 70-65 win for the Duhawks, giving them some momentum heading into the Iowa Conference tournament.

THREE-GAME SWEEP, NOT AN EASY TASK
The strength within the Iowa Conference has prepared the Duhawks for postseason play but also makes their route to an NCAA tournament berth that much more difficult. Loras will tackle the Knights of Wartburg on Tuesday in the opening round of the Iowa Conference tournament, eyeing a three-game sweep of the orange and black. The two teams have faced off twice in the last month, leaving each team familiar with the other.

TOURNAMENT HISTORY: LORAS VS. WARTBURG
Tuesday will mark the sixth time in Iowa Conference tournament history that the Duhawks will square off against the Knights. Wartburg holds a 3-2 record in the five meetings, dating back to 2000. Loras came out victorious in the most recent meeting a season ago to earn a place in the championship game. This will mark just the second time Loras has held the higher seed in tournament contests against the Knights. The two teams have met in the opening round of tournament play twice, splitting the games.

PATH TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP RENEWS RIVALRY
As the No. 4 seed in the tournament, a win on Tuesday would pit the Duhawks against top-seeded Dubuque. The winner of the crosstown battle would then secure a spot in the championship game where they would face Luther, Coe, or Simpson. Two heartbreaking losses during the regular season, Loras would welcome the opportunity to top the Spartans when it matters most.

MAY SAVING HER BEST FOR LAST
Senior Victoria May has gained steam in the final week of regular season play. Beginning with a dominating effort on senior day, May has torched opposing defense in the paint. The Port Byron, Illinois native is averaging 20.3 points in her last three contests.

VALUING POSSESSIONS KEY FOR LORAS DOWN THE STRETCH
Wednesday's loss marked the eighth time this year the Loras College Women's Basketball team has commited 20 or more turnovers. Five of the eight have come in Iowa Conference play. Tightening up on ball security is crucial as the Duhawks look to repeat on last year's success.

PHILLIPS HEADLINES D3HOOPS TEAM OF THE WEEK
Hours after garnering Iowa Conference honors, Loras College Women's Basketball junior point guard Kaitlin Phillips earned a spot on the D3hoops Team of The Week on Tuesday, February 10. Phillips becomes the second Duhawk to receive national team of the week honors. Freshman safety Maurice Young earned a spot on the D3 Football Team this past fall. It marks the first time since Lindsey Bava earned the honor in 2009 that a women's basketball player has been named to the team.

BENCH CONTRIBUTIONS KEY TO DUHAWKS' SUCCESS
Paced by freshman Miranda Chapman and sophomore Terese McMahon, the play of the Duhawks bench has been a vital piece to the team's success. Loras holds a 9-2 record when their bench outscores their opponents. While Chapman provides depth at the guard position, McMahon rounds out the three-headed monster in the post alongside sophomore Lori Obendorf and senior Victoria May.

LORAS PICKED TO FINISH SECOND IN IOWA CONFERENCE COACHES POLL
The Duhawks were voted second, receiving two first place votes. Finishing just ahead of Loras (48) was Simpson College with 54 points. While Coe College rounded out the top three with 42 points, receiving one first place vote. Loras' roster is filled with talent, some of which is unproven with the loss of three key seniors. Simpson earns the first place slot for the second straight year after finishing 14-12 last season.

DUHAWKS LOSE LORAS' TOP SENIOR CLASS
Over the course of her career Katie Langmeier etched her name in Loras history as one of the best in program history. Fueling the Duhawks to their best season in over a decade, Langmeier was named to the D3Hoops All-West Region Second team after being named Iowa Conference Most Valuable Player and Co-Defensive Player of the Year. In addition to Langmeier, the Duhawks lose Lauren Byrne and Katie Wheeler. Byrne's leadership combined with her contributions on the floor (6.0 pts, 3.8 rebounds). In Wheeler, Loras loses leadership and grit. Together the three make up the winningest class in Loras Women's Basketball history, with 66 wins over their four-year careers.

ALL-CONFERENCE TRIO PRIMED FOR SEASON
Senior Victoria May returns for her senior season after posting career-highs across the board as a junior. As the team's most efficient shooter, boasting a team-best .539 field goal percentage.Junior Kaitlin Phillips was second to only Langmeier in points per game last season (12.2) while she led the Duhawks in free throws (72), three-pointers (34). Sophomore Kat Cabrera looks to build upon last year's breakout season. As a freshman Cabrera averaged 6.8 points and 3.0 rebounds. She led the team with 72 assists while also shooting a team-best 84.7% from the free throw line.

HEINZEN BEGINS EIGHTH SEASON WITH THE DUHAWKS
Justin Heinzen will embark on his eighth season as the head coach of the Duhawks after leading his team to a 19-9 record, the best under his tenure, in 2013-14. The stellar season by his squad earned Heinzen Iowa Conference Coach of the Year honors and moved him into the lead for wins in the program's history. He enters the season with a 112-76 record.