Storm cannot overcome Duhawks in conference opener

INDIANOLA, Iowa - Loras handed the Simpson College men's basketball team its first loss of the season in the opening of American Rivers Conference play, 80-69, Tuesday, at Cowles Fieldhouse.

The Duhawks (2-2, 1-0 A-R-C), who came into the game averaging over 90 points a game, got off to a flying start, leading 13-5 five minutes into the game. The Storm (4-1, 0-1 A-R-C) closed the lead to a 17-15 score, led by sophomore Caden Rehmeier off the bench. However, the Duhawks responded with an 11-0 run of their own, eventually opening up a double-digit lead.

A Ben Wolgemuth layup brought the Storm back within nine, but the Duhawks went on another run, this time an 8-0 run, to go up 17 late in the first half, which led to a 43-26 lead. The Storm also had to deal with foul trouble, as three of the Storm's top four scorers had three fouls each in the first half. Andrew Gibb, Chris Honz, and Easton Darling all picked up three fouls, which limited their minutes and forced coach Brad Bjorkgren to dip into his bench.

Despite a daunting task ahead of them, the Storm did not back down out of the halftime interval. Overall, the Storm outscored the Duhawks, 43-37, in the second half, but anytime the Storm looked poised to make a run, the Duhawks answered with a bucket to thwart it. The Storm had multiple chances down 11 and 12 to cut the lead to single digits, but the Loras defense held strong and made enough shots down the stretch to walk away with the win.

It was a tale of two halves for the Storm, who shot just 37.9% from the field in the first half, as well as 15.4% from behind the arc. In the second half, however, the Storm were over 50% from the field and made 40% of its three-point attempts. Overall, the Storm actually outshot the Duhawks, but the Duhawks won the rebounding total and forced 13 turnovers, the first time the Storm committed over 10 turnovers in a game this season. The Duhawks also won the rebounding battle and made key shots in the second half to keep their lead as the Storm closed in.

Curran at least tied for the team high in points, rebounds, and assists. Curran scored 14 to tie with Darling, tied Gibb for the lead with six rebounds, and dished out eight assists, the most by a Storm player in a game so far this campaign.

Up Next
The Storm host Knox College on Saturday in non-conference action, with the game scheduled for a 1 p.m. tip.