Free Throws Key In Playoff Win Over Bethel

MOORHEAD, Minn. (2/21/12)— Concordia went 13-for-13 from the free throw line and beat Bethel 55-50 in the quarterfinals of the MIAC tournament on Tuesday in Moorhead. The Cobbers advance to the conference semifinals for the second straight season and will play at Gustavus on Thursday, Feb. 23 at 7:30 p.m.
 
Tricia Sorensen collected her sixth double-double of the season to lead the Cobbers.  She finished with 10 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Emily Thesing was the leader of the free throw brigade as she went 6-for-6 from the line and had 10 points in the game. Alex Lippert added a team-high 14 points to go along with eight rebounds and three blocks. Erika Jossart dished off a game-high five assists and made a pair of huge free throws in the final 30 seconds of play.

Bethel senior guard Taylor Sheley had an off night from the floor but still came away with a game-high 16 points. She was 5-for-22 from the floor. She also had seven rebounds and two steals. Kristi Bye had several clutch baskets in the second half and added 13 points. Kiah Dahlquist came away with a team-high 10 rebounds.

The game was played inside the 3-point arc for the entire 40 minutes. The teams combined to go 3-for-12 from outside the arc. The Cobbers were 0-for-3 from 3-point range and have now posted two straight games without making a 3-point field goal. It is the first time in school history, since the inception of the 3-point line in 1990-91, that Concordia has not knocked down a shot from outside the arc in back-to-back games. The three long-range shots also ties for the fewest in a single game in school history and fewest since the 1996-97 season.

The difference in the game proved to be from the free throw line and points in the paint. CC did not miss a foul shot in 13 attempts while Bethel was 13-for-18. The Cobbers also held a 22-12 edge in points around the basket. That was evident in the game-changing second half when Lippert connected on several layups with the teams trading baskets.            

The biggest momentum change in the game came midway through the second half. The Cobbers used an 8-2 run in the final 10 minutes of the second half to seize control of the game. Concordia pushed a one-point edge at 35-34 to a seven-point advantage at 43-36 with 8:36 to play and hung on down the stretch for the win.

The seven-point lead was the largest of the lead for either team. Bethel had a six-point lead at 10:51 of the first half but Concordia was able to outscore BU 18-10 in the final nine minutes of play to take a 24-22 lead into the break.

Concordia will now face Gustavus in the MIAC semifinals on Thursday in St. Peter. The Cobbers will be making their third semifinal appearance in the last four years and their eighth overall semifinal appearance.