A Fantastic Fourth-Quarter Finish

MOORHEAD, Minn. (11/21/15)—Concordia is getting used to the new quarter format in women's play this year. The Cobbers got stronger in both periods of the second half and beat UC-Santa Cruz 70-65.

Concordia outscored the Banana Slugs 27-15 in the fourth quarter, including a 13-5 run to start the period, to claim the West Coast win and even their record in California at 1-1.

The Cobbers are now 2-2 for the season and have stuck to the pattern – lose, win, lose, win. Santa Cruz loses for the first time this year and is now 2-1.

Concordia used the three-headed scoring machine of starters Olivia Johnson, Jenna Januschka and Greta Walsh to overcome the Banana Slugs' 24-7 outburst in the second quarter.

The Cobbers received 46 of their 70 points from the three players. Johnson finished with a game-high 17 points while Januschka had 15 points. Walsh scored nine of her 14 points in the fourth quarter and was a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line in the final 6:21 of play.The three players have scored in double figures in a combined 10 games this year. Johnson and Walsh have three double-digit scoring games while Januschka has scored at least 10 points in every game.

Concordia broke out to an 18-13 lead in the first quarter but was then hit with a slime ball from the Banana Slugs in the second quarter. Sana Cruz had a 10-0 run starting at the 9:13 mark of the period and finished off the 10-minute stanza with an 8-0 run to take a 37-25 lead into the final two quarters of play.

The Cobbers whittled the lead down to five points by going on a 9-2 run to start the second half. The lead would stay between 4-7 points until the final period when CC went on its decisive 13-5 streak.

The two teams had very similar shooting numbers. Concordia finished the game by shooting 40.7% (24-for-59) from the floor and 30.0% (6-for-20) from outside the arc. The Banana Slugs shot 40.9% (27-for-66) from the field and 33.3% (7-for-21) from 3-point range.

Concordia held a 41-35 advantage in rebounds.

FOURTH QUARTER FANTASTIC: The 27 points scored by the Cobbers in the fourth quarter is the most in any period this season. The previous best was 25 which was also scored in the fourth quarter (vs. Wis.-Superior).  Concordia is outscoring its opponents 77-66 in the fourth quarter of games. The Cobbers are 2-0 when they outscore their opponent in the final period and 0-2 when they get outscored.    

REBOUND REWARDS: Concordia had 41 team rebounds against Santa Cruz. CC is now 2-0 this year when they grab at least 40 boards in a game. They are 0-2 when held to under 40 rebounds. 

JUMPING JANUSCHKA: Jenna Januschka has scored at least 10 points in all four games this year. Last year she had a total of one double-digit scoring game.  

TURNOVER TROUBLE? The Cobbers have committed at least 19 miscues in three straight games and have 20 or more turnovers in two of the past three games. Last year Concordia had five games where they turned the ball over 20 or more times. 

WHAT'S NEXT: Concordia will return home to balmy Minnesota and travel to Duluth to play St. Scholastica in a non-conference game on Monday, Dec. 30 at 5:30 p.m.