DUBUQUE, Iowa (Duhawks.com) – The Loras women's basketball team utilized a balance of tough defense and energetic offense to upend Luther on Wednesday, 80-78. Despite gaining a substantial lead in the third quarter, it came down to senior Kaitlin Phillip's buzzer-beater to secure the victory. Phillips and junior Terese McMahon finished the night with 23 points each, a new career-high for McMahon.

TURNING POINT
Tied at 18 with 2:06 left in the first quarter, sophomore Lauren Stanich drained a 3-pointer to put Loras (11-5, 4-1 IIAC) up 21-18. Luther (12-4, 4-1 IIAC) never took back their lead for the remainder of the game as the Duhawks ended the first quarter on a 9-4 scoring run.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
The Duhawks and the Norse had a scoring battle to start the game. The teams exchanged baskets for the majority of the quarter, making it difficult for either team to gain a substantial lead. Phillips got things started for Loras by scoring off the opening tip, but six lead changes followed. Phillips and McMahon combined for 12 first quarter points while Luther was led by Moran Lonning, who finished with nine points.
 
With 2:06 remaining in the first, the score was tied at 18-all. Sophomore Lauren Stanich drained a 3-pointer to start the Duhawk's 9-4 run they executed to end the quarter. This run gave Loras a 27-22 lead after 10 minutes.  
 
Second Quarter
Luther scored first to open the second period, but the Duhawks maintained their composure and the lead. Loras gave the Norse a difficult time in the lane thanks to a tough defensive presence. The Duhawks held Luther to only four points in the paint in the first half.
 
This defensive momentum translated to the Duhawks' success on offense. The team shot 48.1 percent from the floor in the first half, including 50 percent from behind the arc. Loras' ability to get stops on defense and score in transition gave them a 38-31 lead entering the locker room.    
 
Third Quarter
Loras started the second half with a fast-paced offense, scoring seven unanswered points to take their first double-digit lead of the game, 47-35. The Duhawks were able to pull away by dominating under the basket. On the night, Loras outscored Luther 42–15 in the paint, which was led by McMahon who recorded 23 points on the night.
 
While McMahon led the offensive effort, junior Lori Obendorf took control on the opposite end of the court. Obendorf recorded game-highs in rebounds (15) and blocks (5). She was crucial in limiting opportunities in the lane for the Norse.
 
Fourth Quarter
With Luther down to their final 10 minutes, the Norse kicked their offense into high gear. Three consecutive treys by Luther cut Loras' lead to one with 7:11 remaining. Kylie Romeo was a large contributor to this comeback, sinking two of the three 3-pointers on the Norse run.
 
With 17 seconds left, Luther's Taylor Jenks scored a jumper to tie the game at 78. Head coach Justin Heinzen called a 30 second timeout with eight seconds remaining to regroup his team. Out of the timeout, Phillips received the ball on the elbow and drove the lane, finishing with a layup that dropped through the twine to put the Duhawks ahead 80-78 with less than a second to play.
 
 
FRIEDMAN GROUP PLAYERS OF THE GAME 
Terese McMahon | McMahon scored a career-high 23 points in addition to recording seven rebounds and one block.
 
Kaitlin Phillips | Phillips tied McMahon for a game-high 23 points. She also recorded five rebounds and dished out nine assists. Her buzzer-beater gave the Duhawks their final lead of the night, 80-78, and handed Luther their first loss in conference play.

HIGHLIGHTS | First Half


SOUNDBITES | Terese McMahon & Kaitlin Phillips


SOUNDBITES | Justin Heinzen


UP NEXT
The Duhawks remain at home for Saturday's conference showdown with Wartburg. The Knights (13-3, 3-2 IIAC) defeated Simpson 59-56 on Wednesday night. The Duhawks topped the Knights twice last season during conference play, but fell 65-58 in the first round of the IIAC tournament.