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

INDIANOLA, Iowa (Feb. 27, 2021) - The Loras College men's basketball team (6-4, 3-3 A-R-C) showed their grit Saturday night as they took on the Simpson College Storm (3-5, 3-3 A-R-C) in an American Rivers Conference bout on the road. After the score remained tied at the end of regulation, two overtime periods became necessary to decide a winner but the Storm emerged victorious despite the Duhawks' resilient fight. 

Cole Navigato started the scoring for the Duhawks in the second minute of the game after pulling down an offensive board and putting it back up for a layup. Simpson kept pushing forth taking a three point lead after a fast break jumper from Collin Lister found the net. Griffen Clark immediately answered for the Duhawks, draining a three pointer of his own to tie the game back at 8-8. Midway through the first half, the two teams shared taking the lead, at one point seeing the Storm take an eight point advantage on Loras. Jake Healy took charge on getting an eight point scoring run going for the Duhawks on a made two point jumpshot that was immediately followed up by a layup from Jackson Kolinski. Myles Barry added two points to the run with a layup of his own while Griffin tied the game back up at 33-33 by making two free throws. With 1:24 left in the first half, sharpshooting Rowan McGowen nailed a three pointer to give the Duhawks a three point lead but Simpson's Trent Williamson responded with a layup in the closing seconds of the half, giving Loras a one point advantage going into the second half. 

Simpson's Andrew Curran drew a foul in the opening minute of the second half, making both to take a 41-40 lead but Healy answered with a layup to put the Duhawks back in the lead. Clark continued to add to the lead with a layup to put Loras up 44-41 early in the half. As was the story with the first half, the two teams continued to grind it out, seeing the game tie four times before a three pointer by Barry gave the Duhawks the lead again with 13:06 left on the clock. After a made layup and jumper from the Storm, Kolinski helped put Loras back in control of the half after drawing a foul on his made layup, putting in the free throw to put Loras up by four. Barry followed up the three point play by Kolinski with a layup of his own to give the Duhawks a six point lead more than halfway through the second half. Simpson continued to chip away at the Duhawks and took a five point lead with 1:26 left in the half, but a pair of three pointers from Healy and McGowen followed by a layup by Navigato put the Duhawks in the lead once more. With two seconds left in the half, Simpson's Curran put a layup through the net to tie the game at 83-83, forcing overtime. 

The Storm got on the board first in the first overtime period but McGowen immediately charged the Duhawks down the court to put in a layup and tie the game back up. The story remained the same through the entirety of the first overtime as the Duhawks continued to tie the game, with the game tied at 89-89 the two teams were forced into a second overtime period. 

In the second overtime, Simpson took an early six point lead on the Duhawks, but a clutch three pointer from Nick Savage pulled the Duhawks within three. McGowen came up big for Loras after drawing a foul on a made jump shot and making the free throw to tie the game at 95-95. Simpson put in two more free throws to take a two point lead but it was again Savage who the Duhawks could count on to tie the game back at 97-97. With 14 seconds left on the clock and down by three, McGowen put his abilities beyond the three point line on display, tying the game at 100-100 after making yet another three pointer, but the Storm responded in the closing seconds of the game with a jump shot to end the battle wiith a final score of 102-100. 

McGowen continued his red hot season for the Duhawks, leading the team with 30 points on the night, shooting 5-12 from the three point line with two rebounds and three assists. Navigato followed with 14 points pulling down a career-high 16 boards for Loras, while Clark and Healy both tabbed 11 points for the Duhawks. 

The Duhawks close out the 2021 regular season on Monday, Mar. 1 as they host the Luther College Norse at Lillis Court for an American Rivers Conference matchup. The game is set to tip-off at 5:30 PM.