Contact: Mark Johnson, Assistant Director of Athletic Communications, 563-588-7243
Feb. 19, 2020 – The No. 10 Loras College women's basketball team (21-3, 12-3 A-R-C) fell victim in overtime to American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) rival No. 8 Wartburg College (21-3, 13-2 A-R-C) on Wednesday, conceding just their third loss of the season 79-76.
From the first jump ball to the final buzzer it was apparent that both teams were hungry for victory. Marissa Schroeder won the jump ball and Kari Fitzpatrick capitalized for Loras by draining a jump shot to get the Duhawks on the board first. Loras managed to keep that lead for a total of eight minutes and fifty-four seconds thanks to baskets from Courtney Schnoor, Fitzpatrick and Macenzie Kraemer. Wartburg took the lead for the first time in the game with 5:35 remaining in the first half and managed to keep that lead the rest of the quarter. The Duhawks shot an impressive 60% from beyond the arc in the first quarter and eventually cut the Knights lead to just six points giving Wartburg a 24-18 lead.
Identical to the first quarter the Duhawks got on the board first after a pair of free-throws from Riley Eckhart. The junior Schnoor came up big for the Duhawks on three consecutive offensive possessions scoring a total of six points to cut the Knights lead to just one point. Two minutes on the game clock passed before Kraemer sunk a three-point basket to regain the lead for the Duhawks with 4:28 remaining in the second quarter. Loras went back-and-forth with the Knights as they continued to tie up the game but Lydia Breunig reestablished the Duhawks' lead with a three-point basket before the half making the score 34-33 as both teams head into the locker room.
The Duhawks kept the pressure on Wartburg by once again getting the first bucket of the quarter after Marissa Schroeder layup. Wartburg regained the lead from the Duhawks with 5:55 remaining in the quarter. Loras and Wartburg both struggled shooting from the floor both shooting 46% but the Knights managed to lead 51-46 at the end of the quarter.
The fourth quarter began with both team trading three-point baskets followed by another three-point bucket from Kraemer to cut the Wartburg's lead to just two points. The Duhawks rallied scoring five unanswered points thanks to baskets by Schroeder, Eckhart, and Kramer to take a 65-63 lead with 1:10 remaining in the fourth quarter. On the Knights next offensive possession, they regained the lead after a three-point basket but the Duhawks tied the game at 66 all after a free-throw from Schroeder. Loras took a two-point lead just before time expired but Wartburg capitalized after a Duhawk foul to send the game into overtime tied 68-68.
Overtime began with a jump shot from the Knights followed by two made free-throws from Kraemer. However, Wartburg regained the lead and ran with it from there as both teams were perfect from the free-throw line which allowed the Knights to keep their edge on the Duhawks as they fell short with a final score of 79-76.
The Duhawks finished with four players in double digits as Kraemer leads the Duhawks with 25 points while Schnoor tallied 15 points. Eckhart added 12 points of her own while Schroeder finished with ten points and a team-high seven assists.
Loras travels to Lincoln, Nebraska where they will face off against A-R-C opponent Nebraska Wesleyan University on Saturday, Feb. 22. Tip-off is set for 2 P.M.
