Contact: Nathan Cameron, Assistant Director of Athletic Communications, 563-588-7243

LA VERNE, Calif. (Dec. 19, 2021) - Wrapping up their weekend on the west coast, the Loras College men's basketball team (8-2, 2-1 A-R-C) went up against the University of La Verne Leopards on Sunday afternoon. Down by three at the end of the first half, the Duhawks put up 40 in the second half to down the Leopards 70-63. 

La Verne jumped ahead early in the first half, going up 6-0 before the Duhawks answered by going on a 6-0 run of their own to tie the game back up at 6-6. With the score tied again at eight a side, Myles Barry drained a three with 12:04 left to play in the half to put the Duhawks up 11-8. 

The two teams traded scoring midway through the half as the Duhawks continued to hold a three point lead before the Leopards hit a three and made a layup to take a two point lead. The lead was short lived as Rowan McGowen hit a jumper with 8:34 on the clock to tie the game at 17 apiece. 

With three minutes left in the half, the Duhawks found themselves down by six but made their way back into the game as Cole Navigato made a layup, followed by a pair of free throws by Jake Healy to bring the Duhawks back within two with 2:33 left to play in the half. Griffen Clark hit a three pointer with under a minute on the clock to cut the Leopards' lead to just one but two made free throws in the closing minutes of the half put La Verne up by three going into the locker room.

In the second half, La Verne extended their lead to seven points before the Duhawks sparked a comeback as McGowen drew a foul to reach the free throw line, making both. Moments later, Navigato drew a foul and missed the first free throw but made the second to cut the Duhawks' deficit to four before McGowen brought Loras back within two with a layup of his own. 

The Duhawks took the lead for the first time in the half at the 13:30 mark as Clark hit another three to put the Duhawks up by one at 41-40. The two sides traded one point leads as they scored a pair of layups apiece before a dunk by Navigato sparked a six point scoring run for the senior, putting the Duhawks up by five at 49-44.

La Verne came back within two with 9:38 left in the half on an and-one made layup by Andrew Delgadillo, who made the free throw for the three point play, but Clark again hit a jumper from beyond the arc to put Loras up by five once more with just under nine minutes to play.

Scoring five unanswered points, the Leopards tied the game back up at 52-52 but Healy reached the free throw line and sunk both to pull ahead once again. Navigato made a layup and drew a foul on the play to go to the line where he made the free throw to go up by five before La Verne stopped the Duhawks' scoring run with a jumper that brough the score to 57-54. 

McGowen caught fire with 5:31 left in the half, hitting three unanswered three pointers to give the Duhawks a comfortable 12 point lead at 66-54 before La Verne reached the free throw line and made one to spoil the Duhawks' scoring run. Navigato made a layup at the 2:33 mark to give Loras a 13 point lead in the closing minutes of the game before taking the victory by a 70-63 margin. 

The Duhawks' 40 point second half was led by McGowen, who made 13 of his game-leading 19 points in the second half while Navigato added 16 points of his own. Jackson Kolinski led the charge defensively, grabbing 12 boards while Healy posted 10 rebounds and Navigato with nine. The Duhawks shot 36.7 percent from the field and made eight from beyond the arc with McGowen and Clark hitting three apiece. 

Loras returns to the Patrick J. Lillis Athletic & Wellness Center on Dec. 29 as they take on Bethany Lutheran College in their annual Holiday Tournament. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 PM.