Slow Start Leads To Fast Finish In 4th Straight Win

NORTHFIELD, Minn. (1/05/23)---The saying goes, "it's not how you start the race, it's how you finish it." That's the exact motto Concordia used to secure its fourth straight victory.

The Cobbers never led through the first 17-minutes of play at Carleton, but then scored the final six points of the first half, and never trailed in the second half as they outlasted the Knights 66-56.

The win is the fourth straight for the Cobbers who are now 8-2 overall and 5-2 in conference play. The Cobbers are currently 1-game out of first place in the league standings.

Concordia was outscored 16-13 in the first quarter on Thursday, and trailed by as many as six points in the second quarter, before going on the late-half run to take control of the game.

The Cobbers pushed their 5-point halftime lead to 13 points by scoring the eight points of the third quarter. CC then settled into a rhythm and never allowed the Knights to close the gap to under seven points for the majority of the final 17-minutes of play.

Carleton was able to cut the lead down to four points midway through the fourth period, but then a free throw by Carlee Sieben and a layup from Greta Tollefson pushed the margin back to a comfortable seven points at 57-50.      

Sieben led all players with 15 points and has now scored in double figures in all but one game this year. She went 3-for-6 from 3-point range and also had three assists and two rebounds.

D3hoops.com National Team of the Week honoree Makayla Anderson went 6-for-11 from the floor and had 14 points to go along with seven rebounds.

Tollefson and Jordyn Kahler gave the Cobbers four player in double digits in scoring. Tollefson had 10 points in 16 minutes of action, while Kahler added 10 points and five rebounds.

A pair of seniors led the Cobbers in assists and rebounds. Autumn Thompson put together one of her best all-around games of the year. She came away with a game-high five assists and recorded nine points. Emily Beseman grabbed a team-high eight boards and added six points.

UP NEXT: The Cobbers will have a short break before returning home to host St. Catherine on Saturday, Jan. 7 at 3 p.m.