Spartans Close Regular Season on Winning Streak
Feb 22, 2014 | J.Crane
DECORAH, IOWA - The University of Dubuque Women's Basketball team closed the 2013-14 regular season on a four game winning streak. The Spartans 83-76 victory over Luther on Saturday afternoon helped UD to a program best second place finish in the Iowa Conference (IIAC). UD was lights out from the free throw line, shooting a season best 87.1% (27-31) from the charity stripe including making 14 straight the end the game. Dubuque heads into the IIAC Tournament with a 17-8 overall record and 10-4 record in conference action.
The Spartans are set to open the first round of the IIAC Tournament on Tuesday, February 25th against Buena Vista University. UD finished the IIAC season tied with Coe for second place but lost the tiebreaker to the Kohawks and dropped to the 3-seed in the tournament. The UD-BV winner will square off against Coe in the Semifinals on Thursday, February 27th. Dubuque beat Buena Vista in both regular season meetings.
Jenna Kotas (Tinely Park, Ill./Andrew) and Kayla Springer (Altoona, Wis./Altoona) led the Spartan scoring attack with 19 points each. The duo did most of their damage from the free throw line with Kotas going 9-9 and Springer making 9-10 in the game. Meggie Schmidt (Edgerton, Wis./Edgerton) was the third UD starter in double figures with 17 points.
The first 12 minutes of the game was all about momentum as UD started the game quick with a 6-0 lead after three trips down the court with Kotas accounting for five of the points. Luther responded with a 21-5 run to take a 21-11 lead at the nine minute mark of the first half. The Spartans imediately answered with nine unanswered points to pull within one with less than eight minutes remaining. The two teams exchanged baskets for the remainder of the half with Luther taking a 40-36 lead into halftime. UD went into the break with more free throws made (12) as shots from the field (10).
| FINAL Conference Standings | ||
| School | IIAC | ALL |
| Loras | 12-2 | 17-8 |
| Dubuque | 10-4 | 17-8 |
| Coe | 10-4 | 15-10 |
| Simpson | 9-5 | 14-11 |
| Wartburg | 5-9 | 11-14 |
| Buena Vista | 5-9 | 11-14 |
| Central | 3-11 | 11-14 |
| Luther | 2-12 | 11-14 |
Luther held onto the lead for the first eight minutes of the second half before a jumper by Schmidt gave UD a 59-58 lead at the 12:12 mark, the first UD lead since four minutes into the game. The Spartans and Norse would go back-and-forth for the next eight minutes with four tied games situations before UD took over the game. UD closed out the game shooting a perfect 10-10 from the free throw line to seal the 83-76 victory. The Spartans outscored Luther 47-36 in the second half.
Springer led UD on the boards with nine rebounds (two-offensive/seven-defensive). Stephany Remakel (Dubuque, Iowa/Hempstead) was strong on the glass with eight rebounds (three-offensive/five-defensive) and also blocked four shots.
Jessica Goetz (Sussex, Wis./Arrowhead) finished with five points, four rebounds, four assists, and four steals.
Senior Jennifer Fischer (Deerfield, Wis./Deerfield) led UD off the bench with seven points and five rebounds (one-offensive/four-defensive). Fischer and Remakel have won a school record 63 games in the Blue and White.
UP NEXT: The Spartans will host Buena Vista on Tuesday, February 25th in the First Round of the 2014 Iowa Conference Tournament. Game time on Jon Davison Court inside Stoltz Sports Center is 7:00 pm.
LIVE Video/Stats of the game available at: UD Women's Basketball online
Follow all UD Athletics action on Twitter at: @UDubuqueSports
