Same Halftime Score, Different Outcome

ST. PETER, Minn. (1/31/26)---Concordia's week against Top 5 teams in the MIAC can be summed up in one statement: same 32-32 score at halftime but two different outcomes.

On Wednesday the Cobbers were tied at the break with St. John's but used a 10-0 run down the stretch to come away with a 71-69 win. On Saturday, Concordia was tied at the half against No.11-ranked Gustavus but watched as the Gusties went on an 8-0 run midway through the second half, made key shots from outside the arc in the final minutes and handed the Cobbers a 70-60 defeat.

The loss snapped a 4-game win streak for Concordia, who drop to 14-6 overall and 6-5 in the MIAC. CC is now in seventh place in the league standings.

The nationally-ranked Gusties win for the 16th straight game and ups their seasons records to 19-1 in all games and 11-0 in conference play.

The Cobbers matched the Gusties stride‑for‑stride in a first half that featured eight lead changes and ended in the ominous 32–32 tie. Concordia hit five shots from behind the arc in the first half and held Gustavus to 39.4% (13-for-33) shooting over the opening 20 minutes of play.

Concordia grabbed its biggest lead of the game early in the second half when Alex Franson and Max Musland drilled back‑to‑back shots from distance to put CC up 46–42 with 14:28 remaining. Gustavus countered with a pair of 3-pointers of its own which set the stage for the decisive 8-0 run.

The Cobbers continued to chip away and stayed within one possession multiple times, but Gustavus' outside shooting – 7-for14 from 3-point range in the second half – proved to be the deciding factor. The Gusties closed the game on a 19–12 stretch over the final nine minutes.

Concordia finished the game by shooting 40.0% (24-for-60) from the floor and 32.3% (10-for-31) from outside the arc. The 31 shots from distance are the third most by the Cobbers this season and it marked the sixth time they have posted a double-digit 3-point total.

The standout shooting stat came from the free throw line where CC attempted a season-low seven free throws and only made two (28.6%).

Gustavus was 10-for-12 (83.3%) from the foul stripe in a game that featured only 22 combined fouls called – the second fewest of any contest this season for Concordia.

The Gusties shot 35.% (24-for-67) from the floor and 37.5% (12-for-32) from distance.

First-Year guard Payton Schell posted a team-high 19 points and added eight rebounds, while senior Jacob Cook recorded his ninth double-double of the season.

He went for 14 points and a game-high 14 boards.

Jackson Loge was the third member of the Cobbers with at least 10 points. He scored 10 points and also grabbed seven rebounds.

Concordia will continue with its stretch of games against Top 5 MIAC teams when they host Carleton on Wednesday, Feb. 4 at 7:45 p.m.