3-Point Magic Can't Cross Across 8th St.

MOORHEAD, Minn. (11/21/17)---The 3-point magic Concordia had on Saturday didn't follow the Cobbers to Moorhead as they shot a season-low 27.8% (5-for-18) from outside the arc and lost to NCAA Division II rival MSU Moorhead 97-61.

The Cobbers, who connected on 15 3-pointers in their 88-87 win at Bethany Lutheran on Saturday, went 1-for-6 in the second half from outside the arc, allowed a season-high 56.1% field goal percentage and lost for the first time all season.

The game was played as a regular-season NCAA contest for the Cobbers but the Dragons chose to count the game as an exhibition and the result will not be recorded on their season win/loss total. Concordia is now 2-1 for the year.

In addition to the Cobbers' inability to knock down the outside jumper, Concordia only forced three turnovers all game long, was outrebounded 38-26 and had 15 fewer possessions than the Dragons.  

Concordia stayed with MSU Moorhead for the first eight minutes of the game and only trailed by three points at 16-13. The Dragons, who were picked to finish fourth in the overall NSIC preseason coaches' poll, then went on a 23-7 over the next eight minutes to grab a 19-point lead at 39-20 with 3:58 left to play in the half.

MSUM finished out the half by outscoring the Cobbers 12-3 to take a 51-23 into the break. Concordia would never be able to get closer than 28 points iin the second half as the Dragons had an answer for every Concordia offensive stretch.

Concordia shot 47.1% (24-for-51) from the field for the game and was 8-for-16 (50.05) from the free throw line. MSU Moorhead connected on 56.1% (37-for-66) of their attempts from the floor and had a 45.8% (11-for-24) mark from outside the arc.

The Cobbers had only one player in double figures – and didn't have a player with more than 11 points while the Dragons had four players with at least 15 points.

Senior Austin Rund had a season-high 11 points and was 3-for-7 (42.8%) from 3-point range. Kevin Wolfe went 4-for-5 from the floor and had a season-high nine points while sophomore point guard Tommy Schyma also added nine points with all nine coming in the second half. John Reiten went 4-for-4 from the floor in the second half and had eight points.

Jacob Pazdernik tied for a game-high in rebounds as he collected seven boards on the night.

SHARING THE WEALTH: Austin Rund became the third different Cobber to lead the team in scoring this season. Austin Heins and Collin Larson had held the honor in the team's first two games of the year. The 11-point game by Rund marks the first time that he has scored in double digits this year.      

40-PERCENT POWER: MSU Moorhead has now shot at least 40.0% from outside the arc in seven straight games against the Cobbers. The Dragons have won all seven of those games and have averaged 92.7 points during that stretch. The last time Concordia held MSUM under 40.0% from 3-point range came in the 2010-11 season when CC beat the Dragons 83-78. That is also the last time that Concordia has bettered MSU Moorhead.

FREE THROW FREEZE: Concordia hasn't shot above 57.0% from the free throw line in any of their first three games this season and is shooting 52.5% from the foul line this year. The Cobbers' opponents are shooting a combined 75.0% and have made 22 more foul shots.  

WHAT'S NEXT: Concordia will have a short break for Thanksgiving and open MIAC play of Saturday, Nov. 25 at Augsburg at 1 p.m. The Auggies are 2-0 on the season with wins against Minn.-Morris and Northland. Augsburg was picked to finish fourth in the MIAC preseason coaches' poll.