Cobbers Turn Table On Cougars In Season Opener

(Recap courtesy of Calvin La Fave)

MOORHEAD, Minn. (11/09/22)---Concordia opened its season at home on Wednesday night against Minn.-Morris, and turned the tables on the Cougars from a year ago.

In last season's opener at Morris, the Cobbers lost 60-55. This year, Concordia once again allowed 60 points, but produced 85 of their own and recorded an 85-60 victory.

The Cobbers took a lead on an Emily Beseman 3-pointer with 7:13 remaining in the opening quarter and never relinquished it. Morris had no answer for the Cobbers' size and physicality, getting dominated 38-22 on the boards.

The story of the game was the performance of sophomore guard Carlee Sieben, who transferred from the University of North Dakota this summer. Sieben led the Cobbers in scoring with 27 points, shooting 10-of-13 from the field and 5-for-8 from outside the arc. With the game safely in hand in the fourth quarter, Sieben made threes on back-to-back possessions, both from the left wing. Sieben electrified throughout the game, brandishing her rare ball-handling and scoring abilities to the delight of the Memorial Auditorium crowd.

The Cobbers' first four points were scored by 6-2 sophomore Makayla Anderson, who opened the night on a put back with 8:50 remaining in the first quarter. Almost immediately, Beseman grabbed a rebound on a missed three by Morris senior Jadyn Sondrol and pushed the ball up the floor, hitting Anderson in stride from nearly 50-feet away for a beautiful fast-break score. Anderson, who showed flashes throughout her freshman season, looked strong throughout the game, putting on a footwork clinic in the post. She compiled 14 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, a block and a steal in 27 minutes of action.

While Anderson was a force in the post and Sieben was outstanding from deep, the Cobbers' most important player, as it often has been over the years, was Emily Beseman. The senior guard has always been one of the hardest-working players on the court and was everywhere once again Wednesday night. She also recorded a double-double, with a line of 20 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists. She was efficient from the field, making 8-of-13 attempts and stretching the floor with a pair of 3-pointers.

Perhaps the best example of what Beseman provides the Cobber will not appear in the box score. With three seconds left before halftime, the Cougars were inbounding the ball near midcourt. Beseman, who was defending Morris senior Holly Wollschlager, attempted to take a charge on Morris's side of the midline. Though there was no offensive foul called, Beseman's effort prevented a last-second heave, and despite the Cobbers already being ahead by 16 points, Beseman saw an opportunity to secure one more positive play for her team and put her body on the line to do it. Her brand of competitive, physical basketball is a complement to the finesse game of Sieben in the backcourt, and her leadership will be counted on to help the young roster improve upon last season's 8-16 record.

The Cobbers put a 1 in the "W" column in impressive fashion in their opener, but Kim Wagers also got every head coach's dream: something to improve on, in addition to a victory. Concordia had 16 turnovers, including 8 in the third quarter. Ahead of their next game at St. Scholastica on November 19, the coaching staff will have plenty of time to emphasize ball security and correct the first-game miscues, while also building on the well-deserved confidence the Cobbers can take from their first win of the season.

UP NEXT: Concordia will open conference play when they head to Duluth to take on St. Scholastica on Saturday, Nov. 19 at 3 p.m.

CONCORDIA vs. MINN.-MORRIS HIGHLIGHTS: