Free Throws Key In Playoff Win Over Bethel
MOORHEAD, Minn. (2/21/12)— Concordia went
13-for-13 from the free throw line and beat Bethel 55-50 in the
quarterfinals of the MIAC tournament on Tuesday in Moorhead. The
Cobbers advance to the conference semifinals for the second
straight season and will play at Gustavus on Thursday, Feb. 23 at
7:30 p.m.
Tricia Sorensen collected her sixth double-double of the season to
lead the Cobbers. She finished with 10 points and a game-high
11 rebounds. Emily Thesing was the leader of the
free throw brigade as she went 6-for-6 from the line and had 10
points in the game. Alex Lippert added a team-high
14 points to go along with eight rebounds and three blocks.
Erika Jossart dished off a game-high five assists
and made a pair of huge free throws in the final 30 seconds of
play.
Bethel senior guard Taylor Sheley had an off
night from the floor but still came away with a game-high 16
points. She was 5-for-22 from the floor. She also had seven
rebounds and two steals. Kristi Bye had several
clutch baskets in the second half and added 13 points. Kiah
Dahlquist came away with a team-high 10 rebounds.
The game was played inside the 3-point arc for the entire 40
minutes. The teams combined to go 3-for-12 from outside the arc.
The Cobbers were 0-for-3 from 3-point range and have now posted two
straight games without making a 3-point field goal. It is the first
time in school history, since the inception of the 3-point line in
1990-91, that Concordia has not knocked down a shot from outside
the arc in back-to-back games. The three long-range shots also ties
for the fewest in a single game in school history and fewest since
the 1996-97 season.
The difference in the game proved to be from the free throw line
and points in the paint. CC did not miss a foul shot in 13 attempts
while Bethel was 13-for-18. The Cobbers also held a 22-12 edge in
points around the basket. That was evident in the game-changing
second half when Lippert connected on several layups with the teams
trading baskets.
The biggest momentum change in the game came midway through the
second half. The Cobbers used an 8-2 run in the final 10 minutes of
the second half to seize control of the game. Concordia pushed a
one-point edge at 35-34 to a seven-point advantage at 43-36 with
8:36 to play and hung on down the stretch for the win.
The seven-point lead was the largest of the lead for either team.
Bethel had a six-point lead at 10:51 of the first half but
Concordia was able to outscore BU 18-10 in the final nine minutes
of play to take a 24-22 lead into the break.
Concordia will now face Gustavus in the MIAC semifinals on
Thursday in St. Peter. The Cobbers will be making their third
semifinal appearance in the last four years and their eighth
overall semifinal appearance.