Another Cobber/Crown High-Scoring Battle

ST. BONIFACIUS, Minn. (12/30/23)---Concordia rang out 2023 by playing its highest-scoring game of the calendar year. Unfortunately for the Cobbers, they came out on the wrong end of a 178-point holiday celebration, losing 94-84 at Crown.

The 84 points scored by Concordia is the most of the 2024 season, while the 94 points allowed is also the most of the current campaign. The teams also played a fast-paced offensive game last season when they combined for 185 points in Moorhead in the second game of the year.  

Concordia ends 2023 with a 7-3 overall mark, while the Polars up their record to 9-3.

The Cobbers finished the game by shooting 53.8% (35-for-65) for the night. The 35 made field goals are the most this season.

The game was determined by a pair of shooting categories. Crown ended the game with six more 3-point field goals and 10 more free successful free throw attempts.

Concordia went 6-for-20 (30.0%) from distance and 8-for-13 (61.5%) from the foul line, while the Polars went 12-for-25 (48.0%) from outside the arc and were 18-for-27 (66.7%) from the foul stripe.

The game was also decided in a span of 3 minutes in the first part of the second half. Jackson Loge connected on a jumper at 16:29 that gave the Cobbers a 1-point edge at 51-50. Crown proceeded to go on a 12-0 run to grab an 11-point lead at the 13:37 mark.

Concordia cut the lead to six points on a pair of occasions midway through the final half, but each time, the Polars were able to answer with a made 3-pointer to keep CC from getting to within two possessions.

The Cobbers made one final push in the last 3 minutes of play. They trailed by 12 points at 85-73, but then five straight points from Matt Johnson got CC within seven points with 2:25 to play. Crown responded by scoring the following five points to put the game out of reach.

Loge paced Concordia with a career-high 27 points. He went 12-for-16 from the floor and also had four rebounds.

Johnson, Rowan Nelson and Jacob Cook gave the Cobbers four starters in double figures. Johnson had 17 points and was 7-for-14 from the field. Rowan chipped in 13 points with three assists and two steals, while Cook had 11 points and hauled down a game-high eight rebounds.

The Polars were led by Cade Carroll, who had 38 points and went 5-for-8 from distance and 13-for-18 from the free throw line. Carroll has now scored 75 points in the last two meetings between the teams.  

UP NEXT: Concordia will start the New Year by traveling to St. Peter to take on Gustavus on Wednesday, Jan. 3 at 7:45 p.m.