DUBUQUE, Iowa (Duhawks.com) -- The Loras men's basketball team finished 2016 on a high note, capturing its fifth-straight victory on Friday night,108-94, versus St. Scholastica. Sophomore
Ryan DiCanio posted his fourth double-double of the season, finishing with a team-high 22 points and 11 rebounds. The Duhawks scored a season-high 61 points in the first half on 64 percent shooting.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
First Half
- After trading the first 20 points, the Duhawks found their stride and concocted a 8-2 run to open a 18-12 lead at the 14:16 mark of the first half.
- Senior Justin VanWambeke connected on an acrobatic jumper to extend Loras' lead to nine, closing a 5-0 run in the process.
- The hot hand continued to pave its way through the Duhawk lineup, resulting in a 17-point lead for the Duhawks after a fade away 3-pointer from senior Christian Mathis with 4:33 on the clock.
- Loras closed the half in style and went to the locker room with a 61-44 lead.
- In the opening frame, the Duhawks shot 64 percent, led by DiCanio's 14 points. Mathis and sophomore Jake Toman each added 12 points in the effort.
- Loras outscored St. Scholastica on the fast-break 18-2 in the opening half and benefited from 17 points off turnovers while also holding a commanding 40-12 advantage on points in the paint.
Second Half
- Facing a 17-point deficit, the Saints came out in the second half with a renewed sense of energy and were rewarded with runs of six and seven points to cut the deficit to eight with 12:35 to play.
- A DiCanio 3-pointer pushed the Duhawks back in front by 13 at 84-71, but St. Scholastica refused to go quietly and as a result crafted an eight point run, ending with a 3-pointer from Zach Dahlman with 6:34 left in the half.
- Behind clutch shooting from the line, Loras sank its next nine free-throws to regain a double-digit lead as part of a 9-0 run, capped by a layup from Mathis with 20 seconds remaining.
- In the second half, the Duhawks' play on the offensive boards resulted in a 12-4 advantage in second-chance points, finishing the game with a 16-6 margin.Â
FRIEDMAN GROUP PLAYER OF THE GAME
Ryan DiCanio | The sophomore recorded his fourth double-double this season, shooting 8-of-14 from the floor and 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. In the process, DiCanio raised his scoring average to 14.3 points per game and his rebounding average to 8.4.
SOUNDBITES (Link)
UP NEXT
Loras closes its non-conference schedule with a 7-2 record and enters conference play on a five-game winning streak. The Duhawks travel to Waverly on Jan. 4 to face the Knights who currently stand at 9-2 overall and 2-1 in the IIAC.
