Contact: Emily Adlfinger, Director of Athletic Communications, 563-588-7970

LINCOLN, Neb. (Feb. 7, 2022) – Facing the foe for the first time this season in a rescheduled contest, the Loras College men's basketball team (14-7, 6-6- A-R-C) battled through to the final buzzer in a road matchup against Nebraska Wesleyan University (13-9, 7-6 A-R-C) on Monday, but the Duhawks could not overcome a big second-half for the hosts, falling 76-67.

Nebraska Wesleyan struck first and took the early lead until Ali Sabet hit the go-ahead three-pointer at the 15:14 mark. Both teams traded points for the next four minutes but Griffen Clark came up clutch for Loras with a three-pointer to take the lead and two free-throws to pull ahead 16-14 with under 11 minutes left in the half. A jumper and a pair of free-throws by Jake Healy helped the Duhawks extend their lead and Rowan McGowen kept it going with a three-pointer and two free throws to put Loras up 32-23 in the final four minutes. Nebraska Wesleyan closed out the half strong with an 8-1 run in the last four minutes but Loras led 34-31 at the half.

Nebraska Wesleyan kept the momentum going into the second half and took the 37-34 edge in the first wo minutes but layups by McGowen and Cole Navigato put a brief halt to the run. The Prairie Wolves responded with seven unanswered points in the next two minutes and took a surge again with 11 minutes remaining, pulling ahead with the largest lead of the game, 70-49, with under six minutes to play. Sabet took the energy out of the hosts with a three-pointer and Jackson Kolinski, Navigato and two more three-balls by Sabet proved the Duhawks were not done fighting. Tyler Bass added a layup after grabbing the defensive board for the final basket of the game but the effort came just too late for the Duhawks.

Sabet led the team with 17 points and went 5-8 from three-point range while McGowen and Clark both added 11 points. Bass had a team-high seven rebounds and Healy led the team with five assists and two steals. Both teams played an evenly matched game, grabbing 35 rebounds and committing 11 turnovers each but the Prairie Wolves' 55 percent shooting from the field held the edge in the win.

The Duhawks will have another crack at the Prairie Wolves on Saturday, Feb. 12 in a Senior Day game inside the Lillis Athletic & Wellness Center but will have to take on Luther College first on Wednesday, Feb. 9 in Decorah. Tip-off is set for 7:30 P.M.