WBB Preview: Storm vs. Loras, 1.7.2017

The Simpson women's basketball team travels to Dubuque, Iowa on Saturday to face the Loras Duhawks in an Iowa Conference clash. The game will air on KNIA 1320 AM/95.3 FM and online at KNIAKRLS.com. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. from Lillis Court.

GAME 13 SETUP
Loras (6-7, 0-4) comes into Saturday's game looking for its first conference win of the season following a 73-55 loss to No. 11 Wartburg on Wednesday. Simpson (4-8, 1-2) looks to continue the momentum built in Wednesday's 65-62 win against Nebraska Wesleyan.

ON THE AIR
From here until the end of the season, all of the Storm's Saturday games can be heard on KNIA 1320 AM/95.3 FM and online at KNIAKRLS.com. You can also download the KNIA app on iTunes and Google's Play Store. Andrew Swadner will have the call with Rick Wilson providing the color commentary.

COVERAGE
Radio: KNIA 1320 AM/95.3 FM
Live Audio: www.kniakrls.com
Live Video: Duhawks.com
Live Stats: Duhawks.com

5 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
1. Simpson and Loras are meeting for the 68th time in a series that began in 1986-87.  Simpson leads the series 45-22, but has lost five of the last six. The teams split last year's series, each defending its home floor. Simpson beat Loras 81-53 on Jan. 13 in Indianola and Loras returned the favor with a 60-39 win on Feb. 20 in Dubuque. The Storm haven't beaten Loras in Dubuque since Feb. 9, 2013, a game that clinched Simpson's last IIAC regular season title.

2. Simpson tied a school record by going 18-for-18 from the free throw line en-route to a 65-62 win over Nebraska Wesleyan on Wednesday. Britney Boland made three first-half 3-pointers and led the Storm with 15 points while Ellen Gallagher recorded her first career double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Megan Lankford went 8-for-8 from the free throw line, including making six in the final 31 seconds. The win helped Simpson avoid the first 0-3 start to league play in school history.

3. Tenth-year head coach Justin Heinzen and the Duhawks rely on the strong inside presence of Terese McMahon (5-10) and Lori Obendorf (6-2). The duo accounts for better than 40 percent of Loras' scoring, with McMahon putting up a team-best 14.1 ppg and Obendorf adding 12.2 ppg and 8.5 rpg. The Duhawks make less than four 3-pointers per game.

4. Coming into the season averaging less than three points per game during her career, junior post Ellen Gallagher has provided a big lift to the Storm's lineup this season. She is currently averaging a career-best 7.6 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. In the last two games, she is averaging 11.5 points and 8.5 rebounds.

5. Despite being held in check Wednesday, Noreen Morrow is still a force to be reckoned with in the paint. The junior is averaging team-highs with 15.3 points and nine rebounds per game. She has been held to five points over the last two games and is poised to return to form.