The Central College basketball teams welcomed Loras College to town Saturday, and despite promising first halves in both games, they were swept by the Duhawks. The Dutch fell in the women’s game 76-56, while the men’s team was defeated 81-66, with both games heard live on 92.1 KRLS.

Central got out to a surprising 17-10 lead through the first eight minutes of the women’s game, but Loras would finish the quarter on an 8-2 run to make it a one-point game at the end of the first quarter. The two teams would trade baskets throughout the second quarter, but it would be the visiting Duhawks who would take the lead into halftime, 33-30. Loras would catch fire in the third quarter, as they hit five of their nine three pointers to extend their lead to 20. The Dutch wouldn’t be able to get any closer, as they fell to 4-11 on the year and 2-7 in American Rivers Conference play. Allison Van Gorp led the way for the Dutch with 12 points, eight rebounds and two blocks, and Annie Swaters added 11 points.

After falling by 39 points in their first matchup with Loras a month ago, the Dutch trailed just 37-34 at halftime of the men’s game. Central would struggle with turnovers though as they committed 21 compared to Loras’ four, which led to a 28-2 advantage in points off turnovers for the Duhawks. Central held a 37-34 rebounding advantage over Loras but gave up 14 offensive rebounds which came back to hurt them down the stretch. Central fell to 4-16 overall on the season, and 1-11 American Rivers Conference play with the loss. Kade Terrell hit four 3-pointers and scored 17 points, giving him 45 points in his last two games. Josh Van Gorp had 16 points, hitting six of his seven shots from the field, and Caden Mauck had an impressive stat line of eight points, eight rebounds and a game-high eight assists.

The Central women’s team has another three-game week ahead that begins on Monday at 6:30 p.m., as they host Nebraska Wesleyan University. Monday’s game will be the second time the two teams have played in the last six days. The Dutch were 58-46 winners at Nebraska Wesleyan last Wednesday. The Central men’s team returns to action on Wednesday at Wartburg College in the second half of a women’s-men’s conference doubleheader.