First-Quarter Flourish

STORY LINE: Concordia scored the first seven points and the last nine points of the first quarter in its game against St. Scholastica and went on to beat the Saints 84-57 in a non-conference game played at Wis.-Superior. The Cobbers used the quick start and late flourish of the opening 10 minutes to take a 21-9 lead after the first quarter of play as they never trailed against St. Scholastica.   

RECORDS: The win snaps a 5-game losing streak for Concordia and brings their overall record to 4-7 on the year. The game was the final non-conference contest of the year for the Cobbers who finish with a 3-4 record against non-league opponents. St. Scholastica is now 1-9 on the year.

FIRST QUARTER FLURRY: The Cobbers scored on their first three possessions of the game and went on to shoot 50.0% (8-for-16) from the floor in the opening quarter of play. The real story of the opening 10 minutes of play was the CC defense which held the Saints to just three field goals and forced three turnovers. CSS shot 21.4% (3-for-14) from the floor in the opening period and went scoreless from outside the arc (0-for-5).

INSIDE STRENGTH: Concordia used the strength of their inside game to earn the victory. Both teams shot an identical 44.9% from the floor but the Cobbers grabbed 16 more total rebounds, 12 more offensive rebounds and held a 23-7 advantage in second chance points. CC also came away with a 42-26 edge in points in the paint.       

SYMMETRICAL SECOND HALF SUCCESS: Senior Grace Wolhowe scored 16 of her team-high 20 points in the second half of play. Wolhowe had two points in each of the first and second quarters but then recorded eight points in the third and fourth periods to come away with her first 20-point game of the season. Wolhowe also had identical shooting lines in the third and fourth quarters. In both periods she went 3-for-5 from the floor and 1-for-1 from 3-point range.

SIMMONS DOUBLE-DOUBLE: Senior Kirstin Simmons recorded her second double-double of the season. She finished with 10 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Simmons scored all of her points in the first half and had four rebounds in each of the second and third periods. Simmons is now fifth in the MIAC in rebounds per game with an 8.0 rpg average.

QUAD DOUBLE-DIGIT SCORERS: Concordia had four of its five starters finish in double figures in scoring. Besides Wolhowe and Simmons, Mira Ellefson went 3-for-7 from long range and finished with 13 points and Elizabeth Birkemeyer went 5-for-8 from the floor and added 10. Ellefson, who also posted six rebounds and four assists, leads the team in scoring with a 13.8 ppg average.

UP NEXT: Concordia ill return to Moorhead and open up the New Year by hosting Macalester in a conference game on Wednesday, Jan. 2 at 5:45 p.m. The Scots are 2-9 in all games and 0-4 in the MIAC this season.