MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (Dec. 19, 2022) – Loras College women's basketball made easy work of the Hanover College Panthers on its first day of the Cruzin' Classic in Miami Gardens, Fla. as a the Duhawks flirted with a potential record-breaking performance in an easy 73-31 win.

The Duhawks (7-2) jumped all over the Panthers (6-3) and left no doubts as they darted out to a 40-7 lead at the halftime break before extending the lead to as many as 47 points later in the fourth quarter.  The final 42-point differential marks the third 40+-point victory for the Duhawks since the start of the 2021-22 season.   

The 40-7 halftime margin put the Duhawks on perfect pace to tie the program's record for winning margin in a game, which was set at 66 in a 111-45 game versus Elmhurst University in the 1993-94 season.

 With a large lead in hand, the Loras bench got a chance to play extended minutes as four Duhawks finished in double figures in the scoring column. Freshman forward Claire Wagner had played just two scoreless minutes this season heading into Monday before shinning with 11 points and a 5-for-7 shooting performance from the field on Saturday.

Wagner's points led all bench players as sophomore Emmerson Whittenbaugh and graduate student Hannah Thiele finished with six points each on identical 2-for-4 shooting performances from behind the three-point line. Sophomore Daniella Jarrell did not score, but helped out with three rebounds, three assists, and two steals in her 15 minutes of action.

Senior guard Madison Fleckenstein led the Duhawks with 15 points and stuffed her stat sheet with six rebounds, three assists, a block, a steal, and a 3-for-5 shooting line from deep. She led the way for 12 points from sophomore guard Silvana Scarsella, making it the third game in a row that she has scored exactly 12 points to either set or tie her career high.

That duo was joined in double figures by junior guard Sami Martin, who finished with 11 points, nine rebounds, three assists, and a block. Those nine rebounds helped the Duhawks to a 54-33 advantage on the glass.

Loras plays its second of two games at the Cruzin' Classic tomorrow, Tuesday Dec. 20, when it faces No. 9 Babson College at 11:30 A.M. (ET). The Duhawks will be looking to upset the ninth-ranked team in the country for the second time in just three games after they defeated the then-No. 9 University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire 88-79 at home on Dec. 10.