Cobbers Continue To Ace Tougher Course Work

ST. PAUL, Minn. (11/21/23)---Like a college course where the exams and coursework keep getting tougher and tougher, Concordia passed the recent test against a highly touted Macalester team that made the MIAC tournament title game last year and was one of the preseason favorites heading into the 2024 season.

The Cobbers were able to use their height to get free around the basket, shot a season-best 57.7% from the field, led for 36:55 of the 40 minutes and got high marks in an 81-70 win over the Scots.

The victory ups Concordia's season-starting win streak to five games. That ties the 1996 start when they won their first five games and wound up winning the MIAC tournament championship. The longest win streak to start a year for a Cobber team belongs to the 1983 squad, who won their first eight games en route to the MIAC regular-season championship.

At 5-0, Concordia is the only unbeaten team left in the MIAC. Macalester loses for the first time in four games and is now 3-2 on the year.

Concordia never let Macalester get into their flow in the first half. The Cobbers went on a 9-0 run in a span of 3:12 at the start of the first half to grab a 14-6 lead – a lead they would never relinquish.

The Cobbers pushed the lead to as many as 14 points in the first half and came away with a 42-30 advantage at the halftime break.

Concordia held a double-digit lead until midway through the second half, when the Scots made a run to get to within two points at 58-56. Senior Jackson Jangula ended the streak for Macalester when he drained a 3-pointer to give CC a 5-point lead.

Macalester would make one more run at the Cobbers. CC led by seven points at 70-63 with 3:26 left, and the Scots were able to score four straight points to trim the lead to three points. Matt Johnson made sure there would be no dramatic late-game rally by hitting four straight consecutive throws to push the lead to 74-67.

Johnson's free throw success was a part of the Cobbers' 7-for-8 foul line stats in the final 2 minutes of play.

In addition to the season-high 57.7% shooting from the field, Concordia connected on 40.0% (10-for-25) of their attempts from distance and 64.7% (11-for-17) from the foul line.

Johnson scored 13 of his team-high 19 points in the second half. He was 4-for-4 from the free throw line in the final 20 minutes of play and finished the game by going 5-for-8 from the floor and 6-for-6 from the foul line.           

Sophomore Jacob Cook had his best game of the season. He dropped 18 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to record his second double-double of the season.

Junior Rowan Nelson gave the Cobbers three players with at least 15 points. He was 3-for-6 from outside the arc and had a season-high 15 points.

Sophomore Jackson Loge led the team in the first half with nine points, finished with nine points and hauled in a season-high 11 boards.    
   
UP NEXT: Concordia will step up in course content again when they play an exhibition game at Division I Univ. of North Dakota on Tuesday, Nov. 28 at 7 p.m.