DUBUQUE, Iowa – The Loras College men's basketball team returns to action this weekend as the program hosts the Loras College Holiday Classic on Friday, Dec. 29 and Saturday, Dec. 30. The tournament will bring in Lake Forest College, Simpson College, and Wisconsin Lutheran College. The Purple and Gold are set to face Lake Forest College on Friday at 7 p.m. before playing Wisconsin Lutheran College on Saturday at 6 p.m.

GAME LINKS
Watch Live – Duhawk Broadcast Network
Live Stats
Tournament Program

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Friday, Dec. 29
Wisconsin Lutheran College vs. Simpson College | 5 p.m.
Lake Forest College vs. Loras College | 7 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 30
Simpson College vs. Lake Forest College | 2 p.m.
Wisconsin Lutheran College vs. Loras College | 6 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT
The Duhawks are winners of their last seven games, most recently against Blackburn College, 77-63, on Wednesday, Dec. 20. Jackson Molstead led the way with a season-high 21 points, while Jack Haynes recorded a near double-double with 18 points and nine rebounds.

Molstead shot an efficient 66.7 percent (8-for-12) from the floor, including 5-for-7 from three point range. The Charles City, Iowa native hauled in four rebounds and picked up two assists in 27 minutes of action. Haynes was 5-for-8 (62.5 percent) from the field, while converting on five of his eight free throw attempts.

Ali Sabet shot 50 percent (6-for-12) en route to 15 points. The 6-2 senior guard grabbed six rebounds and two steals. Declan Ciurlik notched 10 points to round out Loras' double-digit scorers. The senior out of Mequon, Wis. was 2-for-3 (66.7 percent) from three-point territory, finishing the game 4-of-6 (66.7 percent) from the field.

The Duhawks were 29-of-54 (53.7 percent) from the field, which included going 10-for-21 (47.6 percent) from three point land. Loras controlled the boards with a 36-23 advantage.

ABOUT THE DUHAWKS
The Duhawks (9-1 overall, 2-1 A-R-C) enter the weekend tournament averaging 93.6 points per game, which stands as the third-highest mark in the NCAA. The program also boasts a strong defense, limiting its opponents to 71.3 points per game, giving Loras the third-best point differential in the nation (22.3 PPG). The program makes the third most threes per game (14.3) in the country, while holding the fourth overall free throw percentage (81.3).

Sabet leads the team in scoring at 20 points per game, shooting 49.3 percent from the field and 45.3 percent from beyond the arc. Trailing Sabet is Molstead at 15.9 points, followed by Haynes at 12.5 and Tyler Bass at 11.5.

Bass leads the program in rebounding, hauling in 6.6 per game with Myles Barry and Haynes not far behind at 5.9 and 5.5, respectively. Molstead leads the team with 4.5 assists per game, followed by Sabet at 2.9 and Barry at 2.7. Barry leads the team in steals with 18, followed by Sabet (9), Declan Ciurlik (8), and Nolan Berendes (8).

SCOUTING THE FORESTERS
Lake Forest (3-7) enter the Holiday Classic on a two-game skid after falling 84-83 to Augustana College in overtime on Dec. 17. As a team, the Foresters average 84.5 points per game but surrender 91.1  to their opponents. Lake Forest has converted 46.4 percent of its shots from the field, while shooting 35.4 percent from three point territory. The team also averages 35.6 rebounds, 15.1 assists, and 8.1 steals per game.

Junior guard Alex Knight leads the program in scoring at 22 points per game, shooting 48 percent from the floor and 38.1 percent from three. Trailing Knight is sophomore wing Alex Forowycz at 17.2 and 6-5 forward Michael Michaud at 11 points per game. Michaud is the team leader in rebounds with 8.9 per game, followed by Knight with 6.5.

SCOUTING THE WARRIORS
Wisconsin Lutheran (9-1) is off to the program's best 10-game start in team history and are most recently coming off a 71-55 victory over Illinois Tech. The team averages 80.5 points per game, while limiting its opponents to 65.7.

6-6 senior forward Ryan Broeckel is the scoring leader for the Warriors, averaging 15.9 points per game. Senior guard Jacob Stoltz is second at 15.7, followed by Grayson Goetz (13.9) and Jacob Hefle (9.9). Broeckel leads the team in rebounding at 7.4 rebounds per game, followed by guard AJ Vos at 6.8. Four of the five regular starters for the Warriors have registered  double digit steals, leading the program to the No. 1 overall ranking in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference.

THE SERIES
Loras holds a 2-0 series lead over the Foresters, with the previous win coming in a 118-92 showing on Dec. 8, 2018. As for Wisconsin Lutheran, the Duhawks previously beat the Warriors, 76-71, on Dec. 31, 2022, to take the 1-0 series advantage.