Late 2nd Quarter Run Ruins 2017 Opener

ST. JOSEPH, Minn. (1/04/17)--- A 14-0 run at the end of second quarter proved to be too much to overcome as Concordia lost 66-48 at St. Benedict in the first game of the 2017 calendar year.

The Cobbers trailed by only two points at 21-19 with 4:51 to play in the opening half and then watched as the Blazers scored 14 straight points to take a 35-19 lead into the break.

Concordia would only be able to get as close as 12 points at the start of the third quarter and dropped their second straight game. The loss drops the Cobbers overall season record to 4-8. CC is now 1-4 in conference play.  St. Benedict ends a four-game losing skid and moves to a mirror image of the Cobbers at 8-4 in all games and 4-1 in the MIAC.

Offensive rebounds and 3-point shooting proved too much to overcome for Concordia in their first game in 25 days. The Cobbers conceded a season-high 18 offensive rebounds and shot 7.7% (1-for-13) from outside the arc. The Blazers turned the 18 offensive boards into 20 second-chance points and made eight 3-pointers to make up the point differential in the game.

Concordia trailed by only four points at 16-12 heading into the second quarter and then went on a 5-0 run starting at 7:12 of the second period. A layup by sophomore Grace Wolhowe cut the CSB lead down to two points but then the Blazers scored on six straight possessions to finish the half and score 14 consecutive points. During that decisive stretch of 4:51 the Cobbers turned the ball over three times and went 0-for-5 from the floor.

The Cobbers finished the game by shooting 39.5% (17-for-43) from the field and going 13-for-17 (76.5%) from the free throw line. St. Benedict shot 41.1% (23-for-56) from the floor, 36.4% (8-for-22) from outside the arc and 63.2% (12-for-19) from the foul line.

CC was outrebounded 37-27 as the Blazers controlled the area around the basket. CSB also held a 20-6 edge in points in the paint.

Jenna Januschka and Greta Walsh combined for 60.4% of Concordia's point total. Januschka had a game-high 18 points and Walsh added 11. Januschka was 6-for-10 from the field and drained the team's only 3-pointer of the night. She also added four rebounds and one block.

Kirstin Simmons came away with a team-high six rebounds.       

1K WATCH: Senior Greta Walsh scored 11 points bringing her career total to 967. She needs 33 points to become the 28th player in program history to eclipse the 1,000-point milestone.

WHAT'S NEXT: Concordia will stay on the road to start 2017 as they head to Hamline on Saturday, Jan. 7 to take on the Pipers at 1 p.m. Hamline is 5-7/2-3 MIAC on the year and coming off an 85-65 win at St. Olaf on Wednesday.