CLEVELAND – Senior guard Evy Iacono (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) led a Case Western Reserve University attack that saw 10 Spartans find the scoring column as the hosts pulled away late for a 74-59 victory versus Heidelberg University inside Horsburgh Gymnasium.

The Spartans, who wrap up the non-conference portion of their schedule at 8-3 overall and on a five-game winning streak, open University Athletic Association action on the road this Saturday, January 5 versus Carnegie Mellon University inside Skibo Gymnasium at 3:00 p.m.

With the setback, the Student Princes fall to 5-7.

In addition to Iacono's team highs of 20 points and five steals, sophomore forward Berit Eppard (Englewood, Colo./Cherry Creek) joined Iacono in double figures with 11 points along with a team-best seven rebounds in just 17 minutes. Senior center Emily Mueller (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair) totaled nine points, six rebounds and a career-best six blocks, while senior guard Erica Iafelice (North Canton, Ohio/Hoover) chipped in with five points, five boards and a career-high nine assists as the Spartans dished out 23 helpers for the game.

The first 10 minutes of the contest featured six ties and numerous lead changes with neither team possessing more than a three-point advantage. With the contest knotted at 18-18 with 10:56 remaining, Case rattled off a 6-0 run over the next 3:25 capped off by an Eppard lay-up.

However, the Student Princes answered with a 5-0 spurt over the next 60 seconds and sliced the Spartan lead to one, 24-23, with 6:31 left. The Spartans' advantage gradually increased to as many as eight, 37-29, with 11 ticks showing on the clock via a lay-up by Mueller, but a pair of charity tosses from Heidelberg's Allie Hawkins brought it back to a six-point difference at the break.

Out of the locker room, Heidelberg chipped away and eventually cut the Spartan lead to just three, 43-40, with 15:43 left following two free throws from Kathleen Phillips. Looking to pull away, the hosts then responded with a 15-2 run and grabbed a 58-42 edge with 10:15 remaining.

Not done yet, the visitors put together an 11-4 spurt over the next four minutes and cut the Case advantage to single digits, 62-53, but the hosts answered with an 11-0 run and sealed the non-conference victory.

Heidelberg was paced by Phillips with game highs of 30 points and nine rebounds.