CLEVELAND – Senior guard and captain Evy Iacono (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) led a Case Western Reserve University scoring 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 riding 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 as a team.

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 on a lay-up by Eppard.

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 on two free throws from Kathleen Phillips. Looking to pull away, the hosts then responded with a 15-2 run of their own 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.