DUBUQUE, Iowa –
Ali Sabet led the way with 23 points as the Loras College men's basketball team earned a big conference win over the University of Dubuque Spartans, 76-65, on Wednesday night.
The win is Loras' (15-1 overall, 6-1 American Rivers Conference) 13
th-straight, the program's longest such streak in over 20 years and is tied for the third-longest in college basketball, regardless of division.
Sabet was one four Duhawks to score in double figures, as
Jackson Molstead was second with 16 points after going 4-of-8 (50 percent) from beyond the arc.
Jack Haynes scored 14 points in 19 minutes, going an efficient 7-for-9 (77.8 percent) from the field.
Tyler Bass finished with his fifth double-double of the season after posting 10 points and 10 rebounds.
The Duhawks shot 27-63 (42.9 percent) from the field, while hitting 32.3 percent (10-of-31) of its three-point shots. The Spartans (13-3, 5-3) shot 28.6 percent (18-of-63) from the floor, including 7-of-28 (25 percent) from the three-point line.
The biggest discrepancy in the game belonged to the whistle, which UD was the beneficiary of more times than not as the Duhawks were called for 26 fouls compared to 12 against UD. However, despite the disadvantage, Loras, as it's done much of the season, made the most of its attempts from the charity stripe, converting on 12-of-14 (85.7 percent) free throws. The Spartans went on to finish 22-of-36 (61.1 percent) from the line.
Dubuque never led in the game, as Loras started things off with a layup by Bass on the game's first possession and never looked back. UD fought to bring it within one but Loras' offense had other plans. In the first half alone, the Duhawks shot 51.7 percent (15-of-29) from the field.
Loras' biggest lead of the evening(60-40) came with 12:51 to play, but a 19-7 run by UD over the next nine minutes brought things within eight (67-69) with just over three minutes to go. Sabet and Molstead combined to score eight of the final nine points for Loras to slam the door shut on any attempts from UD to claw back into the game.
Up next, the Duhawks welcome in Coe College on Wednesday, Jan. 24, a game that holds massive implications among the A-R-C standings. Tip is set for 7:30 p.m. inside the Lillis Athletic & Wellness Center.
