CLEVELAND – Junior forward Dane McLoughlin (Westerville, Ohio/St. Charles Preparatory) scored a game-high 17 points with five three-pointers to lead the Case Western Reserve University men's basketball team to an 81-48 victory versus Denison University on Tuesday evening at Horsburgh Gymnasium.

The Spartans improve to 3-1 for the first time since the 2009-10 campaign, while the Big Red remains winless at 0-3.

In addition to McLoughlin, senior center David Thompson (Plano, Texas/Plano Senior) posted a double-double of 13 points and 10 boards to go along with a season-high five blocked shots. The 6-foot, 9-inch center moved to within one of tying Eric Duerr '11 for the school record of 121 career blocks.

As a team, the Spartans outshot Denison, 55% to 25%, and held a 9-0 advantage in blocked shots.

McLoughlin came out scorching with three-pointers on each of Case's first three possessions to make the score 9-0 at 18:31. Denison twice got within six, but the second time preceded an 11-2 Spartan run that ended in a McLoughlin layup and made the score 22-8 with 11:39 on the clock. The Spartan advantage reached as many as 26 (40-14) in the opening period when junior forward Brian Klements (Willoughby Hills, Ohio/Willoughby South) hit a short jumper with 2:51 left before halftime. The Big Red scored the final four of the half and trailed 40-18 at the break.

The Spartans shot 53.3% in the first half and 53.8% (7-of-13) from beyond the arc.

In the second half, Case's lead held steady in the 20s for most of the way until a 13-3 run put the lead at 34 (81-45) as freshman forward Mac Hartman (New Wilmington, Pa./Kennedy Catholic) scored a layup while being fouled at the 1:05 mark.

Denison was led by Alex Longi and David Meurer with 12 and 11 points, respectively.

Klements was the third Spartan in double-figures with 10 points in just 13 minutes.

The Spartans return to action on the road this Sunday, December 1 at Allegheny College at 4:00 p.m. in Meadville, Pennsylvania.