DUBUQUE, Iowa (Duhawks.com) - Thanks to 45 points off the bench, the Loras men's basketball team extended its winning streak to nine on Monday night, defeating Coe 88-75. Senior
Justin VanWambeke and sophomore
Josh Ruggles each scored 18 points for the Duhawks, who as a team, shot 50 percent from the floor and 42 percent from beyond the arc.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
First Half
- Coe's game plan to slow down the scorching hot Duhawk offense proved successful, as Loras was limited to 13 points in the first 10 minutes.
- After a layup from Trevor Haaland, the Kohawks held the lead at 20-14.
- What ensued over the next 7:44 of game time was a 28-5 Duhawk run, featuring points from eight different scorers.
- In the run, Loras forced six Coe turnovers and was 11-of-14 from the floor, including 3-of-5 from distance.
- The Duhawks took a 36-29 lead into half with an 11-3 run to close the first, with the Kohawks' only points coming from the line.
Second Half
- Continuing off where the first half ended, the Duhawk offense continued to cruise with a 10-0 run to start the second half.
- For over five minutes, Loras saw its 17-point lead cut to six as a result of a 13-2 run from Coe in which the Duhawks committed five turnovers.
- The single-digit lead for Loras remained for a majority of the second half.
- With 5:08 to play, the Kohawks cut the lead to six, but that would be as close as the visitors could get.
- Despite their last basket coming at the 3:34 mark, the Duhawks made 13 of their 16 free-throws down the stretch and closed the game on a 16-10 run for their ninth straight victory.
NOTABLES
- Loras forced Coe into 24 turnovers on Monday, nearly doubling the average for the Kohawks
- VanWambeke appeared for the first time since Dec. 30, scoring 18 points off the bench. His performance, along with Ruggles helped the Duhawks to a 45-11 bench points scoring margin
- Coe's 24 turnovers were turned into 24 points for the Duhawks
- Nine of the 10 players to appear on Monday for Loras registered at least one point with four finishing in double figures
- As a team, the Duhawks shot 58.3 percent from the floor in the second half, improving from the 44.1 percent in the first half and held the lead for the entirety of the frame
FRIEDMAN GROUP PLAYER OF THE GAME
Josh Ruggles | The shooting phenom added to his expansive resume in the Purple & Gold, totaling a career-high 18 points on 5-of-8 shooting Monday, raising his scoring average from 10.8 points per game to 12.
SOUNDBITES | Justin VanWambeke & Danny Quinn
SOUNDBITES | Chris Martin
UP NEXT
The Duhawks have a quick turnaround, hitting the road on Tuesday for Lincoln, Neb. ahead of Wednesday's conference tilt against Nebraska Wesleyan. On Saturday, the Prairie Wolves knocked off Dubuque, 95-91, and enter with a 10-4 overall record while sitting at 4-2 in the IIAC. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. from Lincoln, Neb.
