Late-Game Surge Comes Close
Concordia almost over came a red-hot shooting first half by Wis.-Superior as they cut the lead to six points down the stretch but fell 75-69 in Superior.
SUPERIOR, Wis. (11/12/19)---Concordia outscored Wis.-Superior 41-32 in the second half but was done in by a red-hot shooting Yellowjacket team in the first period and lost 75-69.
Superior shot 72.0% (18-for-25) from the floor and 75.0% (6-for-8) from 3-point range in the first period as they built a 15-point lead at the break and were able to hold on down the stretch after the Cobbers' second-half surge.
The loss is the second straight for Concordia to start the season. It's the first time that Cobbers have started the year with back-to-back losses since the 2007-08 season. Superior wins for the second time in its first three games this year and ups their overall record to 2-1.
The Cobbers shot 50.0% or better from both the floor and outside the arc as they were able to cut into the Yellowjacket lead down the stretch. CC went 15-for-28 (53.6%) from the field and 7-for-14 (50.0%) from long range in the second half.
Concordia repeatedly tried to cut the deficit to single digits in the second half and finally got the lead under 10 points in the final two minutes of play when senior John Reiten hit two free throws to bring the score to 66-57.
Superior hit a pair of free throws on their next trip down the floor but then a Tommy Schyma jumper and a Reiten layup brought Concordia to within six points at 67-61 with 52-seconds left to play. The Yellowjackets would seal the game at the free throw line by going 8-for-10 in the final 50 seconds.
Concordia finished the game by shooting 51.0% (26-for-51) from the floor and 48.0% (12-for-25) from outside the arc. The Cobbers have shot at least 50.0% from the floor and made at least eight 3-pointers in their first two games of the year.
Superior cooled off in the second half but still wound up shooting 53.8% (28-for-52) from the field and 44.4% (8-for-18) from 3-point range.
The Yellowjackets held a slight 29-28 edge in rebounds. The biggest statistical difference in the game came around the basket where Superior held a 38-20 advantage in points in the paint.
Schyma posted his second straight 20-point plus game of the year. After opening the season with career-high 27 points against Minn.-Morris, he backed it up with a 25-point performance at Superior. Schyma went 9-for-16 from the floor and 6-for-11 from long range. He also had five assists and three rebounds.
Junior guard Bryden Urie had his second straight double-digit scoring night. He went 3-for-4 from outside the arc and finished with 15 points. He led the team with five rebounds.
Reiten came away with 12 points to give the Cobbers three players in double figures in scoring for the game.
UP NEXT: Concordia will stay in Wisconsin overnight and head south to take on Wis.-Stout on Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. This will be the first-ever meeting between the two schools. The Blue Devils are 0-1 on the year after dropping their season opener at home to St. Olaf.