Late run helps Loras beat Simpson

DUBUQUE, Iowa – For the first time since 2007, no part of the Iowa Conference Championship will go to the Simpson women's basketball team.

Simpson lost to Loras 71-57 on Wednesday night, putting the program's remarkable run of consecutive conference titles to an end at six.

Katie Langmeier scored 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Duhawks (17-7, 12-1 Iowa Conference), who clinched the outright conference championship with the win and Wartburg's 73-66 win over Coe. Loras will be the No. 1 seed in next week's Iowa Conference Tournament.

Brittany Hedrick scored 11 points and handed out four assists and Morgan Terpstra had 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Storm (14-10, 9-4). With the loss, Simpson finds itself in a three-way tie for second place with Coe and Dubuque with one game remaining in the regular season.

Katie Wheeler joined Langmeier in the 10-rebound club as Loras handled the Storm on the boards, holding a 50-23 advantage. Loras brought down 23 offensive rebounds, converting them into 20 second-chance points.

Despite the discrepancy on the boards, Simpson led 31-28 at halftime and went ahead 46-41 with 12:52 left in the game after back-to-back 3-pointers by Katie Ahrenholtz and MacKenzie Haupt.

Loras was able to pull away down the stretch.

A Wheeler layup cut Simpson's lead to 46-43, sparking a 13-0 Loras run. A 3 by Maddie Muhlenbruck with 6:48 left put an end to a six-plus minute scoring drought for Simpson, but Loras still led 55-49.

Terpstra knocked down a jumper to pull within four at 56-51, but Simpson couldn't get any closer as Loras outscored the Storm 16-6 over the final six minutes.

Simpson entered the game with an outside chance of tying for the conference title, but needed to win each of its final two games and hope Coe could knock off Loras on Saturday.

The streak of six consecutive Iowa Conference championships won by head coach Brian Niemuth's Storm from 2008-2013 is tied for the longest in conference history.

Simpson closes the regular season on Saturday, Feb. 22 in Storm Lake against Buena Vista. The Beavers (10-14, 4-9) lost to Dubuque 85-78 on Wednesday.

Tipoff is set for 2 p.m.