The Central College basketball teams make their home American Rivers Conference debut today in a doubleheader with the University of Dubuque. 

The Dutch women are off to a 3-5 start to the season in head coach Moran Lonning’s debut season, while the Spartans enter today matchup with a 4-4 overall record. Central is coming off a heartbreaking loss at Nebraska Wesleyan to open league play, as a pair of free throws with four seconds left was the only time Central trailed in the 66-65 loss. Dubuque on the other hand, downed Buena Vista 82-63 Wednesday to even their conference record at 1-1. In 81 games between the two schools, the Dutch hold the all-time advantage 50-31, but the Spartans won both meetings last season to snap Central’s six game winning streak.

Under first year men’s head coach Joe Steinkamp, Central is 5-3 overall and 1-0 in conference play after surviving a late comeback push from Nebraska Wesleyan. Dubuque opened the season with a loss against North Central College (Ill.) but have rattled off six consecutive wins to post a 6-1 overall record and 2-0 league record. Today marks the 141st time the Dutch and Spartans men’s basketball teams will square off dating back to 1954, and Central leads the series 82-59. Despite trailing in the all-time series, Dubuque has controlled the matchup in recent years as they currently hold a seven-game winning streak over the Dutch.

The women’s game will kick off the doubleheader at 2 p.m. with the men’s game to follow at approximately 4 p.m. Both games can be heard live on 92.1 KRLS and viewed on the Central athletics website at athletics.central.edu.