Classic Comeback Continues Historic Start

Recap courtesy of Calvin LaFave

MOORHEAD, Minn. (1/30/23)--- The Cobbers secured their eighth consecutive victory in thrilling come-from-behind fashion at home on Monday by beating third-place St. Benedict 67-56.

The win is the 16th of the season, and improves their overall record to 16-3 for the year. That mark is the best 19-game start to a season since the 1988-89 season when CC went 17-2, and ended up with a 23-4 record.   

The victory also gives Concordia the season sweep with St. Benedict. It's the first time the Cobbers have swept the Bennies is a full season since 2013-14.  

For the second time in three days, Concordia found itself locked in a critical conference battle as it continues its push for an MIAC championship with only a handful of games remaining. Entering tonight's game, the Cobbers were in sole possession of second place, trailing Gustavus by one game.

St. Benedict (14-5, 11-5 MIAC) dominated the first quarter, leaping out to a 24-14 lead after the first ten minutes, and their momentum held well into the second frame as they stretched lead to 17 points at 33-16. The Bennies surrendered just two points over the first 7-plus minutes of the second quarter.

Concordia responded by closing out the half on a 9-4 run, heading into halftime with a 12-point deficit, 37-25.

Until the Cobbers' run over the last two minutes, the first half was defined by St. Benedict's swarming defense: the Cobbers had trouble initiating their half-court offense, struggled to make passes and frequently found themselves scrambling for hurried shots late in the shot clock. The Bennies' offense, however, cooled considerably after their 24-point first quarter explosion, and they held a slight 13-12 advantage in the second quarter.

The second half opened with St. Benedict still firmly in control. Junior guard Carla Meyer made a jump shot on their first possession, and after Cobber sophomore Makayla Anderson split a pair of free throws, Bennies' senior guard Gabby Martin made both of her own to put the Bennies ahead 41-26 with less than 19 minutes left in the game.

From that point on, the Cobbers took control of the game. After struggling to convert near the rim, they finally began taking the open jump shots the Bennie defense gave them and seemingly couldn't miss throughout the rest of the third quarter. Overall, they shot 10-for-16 from the field and 4-for-8 from beyond the arc, with junior Jordyn Kahler and senior Emily Beseman each making a pair of triples. Beseman's second 3-pointer, with just under two minutes left in the third period, gave the Cobbers their first lead of the game, by a score of 48-47. Soon after, Beseman added a layup, before St. Ben's first-year player Megan Morgan finally stopped the bleeding with a 3-pointer, sending the game into the fourth quarter deadlocked at 50-50.

A sizable student section had gathered to watch this critical MIAC conference game, and their energy was palpable as the Cobbers embarked on their comeback. After their sensational 25-13 third quarter explosion, however, it was fair to wonder if the Cobbers would be able to sustain their momentum.

It didn't take long for those doubts to be silenced. Beseman kicked off the fourth quarter with her third 3-point make of the night. Morgan responded with a layup for CSB to make it 53-52 Concordia, but from there the Cobbers never looked back. They pushed the lead to 58-52 with 5:32 left in the game and forced a timeout by legendary St. Benedict coach Mike Durbin, who is in his 37th season at the helm in St. Joseph.

The Cobbers didn't need much more scoring down the stretch of regulation, making a handful of jumpers and a pair of free throws as their red-hot defense continued to smother the Bennies. They allowed a grand total of six 4th-quarter points, a far cry from the 24 they surrendered in the first.

Concordia's top player, as is often the case, was Beseman. She led the Cobbers in scoring with 17 points on a 6-for-13 shooting night (3-for-6 from deep). Beseman tacked on nine assists, seven rebounds and two steals. Anderson also had a strong outing, with nine points, 12 rebounds and three blocks.

The Cobbers cumulatively shot 48.1% from the field and 40% on 3-pointers, compared to just 34.8% and 27.8% for the Bennies.

After tonight's eighth straight win, Concordia holds a two-game lead over its two most recent opponents, Bethel and St. Benedict's, for second place in the MIAC. They are 13-3 in-conference and 16-3 overall, in both categories just one game back of league-leading Gustavus.

UP NEXT: Six games remain in Concordia's season, beginning with a home game against Macalester on Wednesday, February 1st at 7:15. The most important game remaining on their schedule comes a week later, when they travel to St. Peter for their final regular-season meeting with Gustavus.