DUBUQUE, Iowa (Duhawks.com) - The Loras women's basketball team advanced to the conference tournament championship for the third time in the last six seasons, defeating Simpson on Thursday night, 88-83. Marissa Schroeder once again proved to have the upper hand on the Storm, posting her seventh double-double of the season, finishing with 28 points, tying her previous career-best, which she set earlier this season against Simpson.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
• Loras wasted no time lighting up the scoreboard as they opened with a quick 7-2 run
• The Storm charged back to take the lead, but Kari Fitzpatrick knocked down a trailing 3-pointer to ignite a 9-0 run for the Duhawks, capped by a Riley Eckhart 3-pointer, forcing a Simpson timeout
• The Storm regained the lead once again, but it was Courtney Schnoor who went to work in the low post with a layup and then an and-1 conversion to push Loras back on top
• It was all Schnoor and Schroeder in the final minutes of the first half as they combined for 17 of the team's final 18 points
• Simpson found a rhythm to start the second half with an 8-0 run, holding the Duhawks scoreless until Kari Fitzpatrick broke the drought
• After a Duhawk turnover several minutes later, Fitzpatrick sprinted back on defense for the emphatic block
• Loras tightened up on defense at the end of the quarter, holding Simpson scoreless for three and a half straight minutes
• With the shot clock set to expire, Riley Eckhart scooped up the loose ball and banked in the triple from the logo, shifting all momentum back to the Loras side
• Marissa Schroeder led the Duhawks home with an and-1 layup to push the Loras lead out of reach

NOTABLES
• Schroeder tied her career high of 28 points and tallied her her third double double in the past six games … In the process, Schroeder set a new career-high with nine free-throws in 10 attempts
• Eckhart connected on six threes for the second time this season, tying her career-high
• Loras out-rebounded Simpson 37-30
• The Duhawks advanced to the conference tournament championship for the first time since 2016 … Loras has won its last two conference tournament championship games (2016, 2014)
• With Thursday's win, the Duhawks have tied the program record for wins in a season, matching the 22 wins from the 2002-03 season

UP NEXT
Loras travels to Waverly on Saturday for the American Rivers Conference Tournament Championship. The top-seeded Knights advanced to the final with a 78-67 win over Luther on Thursday. Tip-off from inside Levick Arena is scheduled for 4 p.m.