Simple Answer Down The Stretch Leads To Last-Second Win

MOORHEAD, Minn. (1/28/26)---Question – what's the easiest way to overcome an 8-point deficit in the final 4-minutes of play?

The answer is simple when you think about it – hold your opponent scoreless in that stretch and score 10 points. Easy, peasy, lemon squeezy.

That's exactly what Concordia did in its 71-69 win over St. John's at home on Wednesday. The Cobbers trailed 69-61 with 4:00 left on the clock but then held the Johnnies without a point for the remainder of the contest and got a game-winning layup from Payton Schell with 10-seconds remaining to earn the hard-fought victory.

The win is the fourth in-a-row for the Cobbers who are now 14-5 in all games and 6-4 in conference play.

St. John's loses for only the second time in the last eight games and falls into a tie with Concordia in the league standings at 6-4 while they are now 10-9 overall.

The first 36-minutes of the game between the Cobbers and Johnnies featured seven lead changes, two tie scores – including a 32-32 halftime score line – and was a game of streaks. CC led for 19:55 of that stretch while SJU was in front for 17:10.

With the teams trading run streaks for the first 36 minutes you knew it would come down to whoever had the last possession and luckily for the home fans it turned out to be Concordia.

The Cobbers led 57-56 midway through the final half and then St. John's went on a 13-4 run to take the aforementioned 8-point lead with 4:00 left on the clock.

Key defensive stops and cold SJU free throw shooting down the stretch helped CC pull out the win.

The Cobbers held St. John's scoreless in their final six possessions which included two free throws on the front end of 1-and-1 situations with 18-seconds remaining which helped set up the game-winning basket.

After the second Johnnie miss on the free throw, senior Jackson Loge grabbed the rebound and shuffled a short pass to guard Justin Courneya. Courneya started to dribble up the court and then delivered a pin pint pass to a wide open Schell on the left side of the lane who took one dribble and laid the ball in off the glass.

Game, set, match Cobbers.

Concordia shot 45.1% (23-for-51) from the floor and 43.8% (7-for-16) from outside the arc in the back-and-forth affair.

The Cobbers were outrebounded 37-30 in the game but held an 18-13 edge in points off of turnovers and an 11-2 margin in fast break points which included the game winner.

Senior Jacob Cook went for the yoozh 20-point-plus game. He was 7-for-14 from the floor, 3-for-4 from distance and posted 26 points. It was his second straight game with at least 25 points and sixth time this season he has going for 25 or more.

Cook also grabbed nine rebounds and added two steals.

With his 26-point performance, Cook took over the leading in the conference scoring race. He is now averaging 21.3 points per game. 

Schell came away with 17 points, four boards and a block while both Loge and Peyton Belka recorded 10-point games.

Concordia will put its 4-game win streak on the line when they play at Gustavus on Saturday, Jan. 31 at 3 p.m.