The Simpson College basketball teams opened American Rivers Conference play Tuesday night against Loras College and both teams fell to the Duhawks. The Storm women lost 45-41, while the men dropped their game 80-69.

For the Simpson women, Tuesday night’s loss marked the first time the Storm have lost in league play since February 25th, 2020, against Coe College. Simpson outshot the Duhawks from beyond the arc Tuesday night 26.9% to 9.1%, but Loras overcame that by outscoring the Storm in the paint 34-12. Guards Haley Rasmussen and Anna Wanek were the lone players to reach double figures in scoring for Simpson, each scoring 14 points respectively. 

In the nightcap of the doubleheader, the Storm men’s undefeated run to open the season came to end. The first half was tightly contested, but a 13-5 run by Loras to end the half put Simpson in a 17-point hole at the intermission. The Storm cut the lead to 11 late in the second half but couldn’t get any closer in the loss. Guards Easton Darling and Andrew Curran led the scoring for Simpson with 14 points each, while Chris Honz added 11.

The Storm men are back in action Saturday, hosting Knox College for a 1 p.m. game, while the Simpson women are off until next Wednesday when they host Iowa Wesleyan.