Cobbers Surge in Second Half to Down Hamline
Concordia delivered a commanding second-half surge to secure a 76–64 victory over Hamline on Saturday afternoon inside Memorial Auditorium. Senior forward Jacob Cook led all players with 24 points and 11 rebounds.
MOORHEAD, Minn. (2/07/26)--- Concordia delivered a commanding second-half surge to secure a 76–64 victory over Hamline on Saturday afternoon inside Memorial Auditorium. Trailing 33–30 at halftime, the Cobbers erupted for 46 second-half points, fueled by balanced scoring, elite 3-point shooting, and a dominant performance from senior forward Jacob Cook, who led all players with 24 points and 11 rebounds.
The first half was a back-and-forth defensive grind, with neither team able to create separation. Concordia leaned on early shot-making from Peyton Schell and Peyton Belka, while Cook provided steady offense. Hamline's Raoul Vaidya and Dominic Dosmann kept the Pipers in rhythm, converting second-chance opportunities and timely perimeter shots. Despite Concordia holding a brief seven-point lead midway through the period, Hamline closed the half strong to take a three-point advantage into the locker room.
Everything changed after the break. The Cobbers flipped the energy immediately, tying the game on Justin Courneya's early three before unleashing a decisive offensive wave. Cook continued to overpower Hamline's interior defense, scoring repeatedly around the rim, while Schell caught fire from beyond the arc, finishing with 23 points, including three second-half triples and a perfect 5-for-5 showing at the free-throw line. Courneya added valuable scoring as well, hitting two threes and reaching double figures with 11 points.
Concordia's improved defensive intensity proved pivotal. The Cobbers limited Hamline to just 2-of-8 from long range after halftime and forced key empty possessions that fueled transition opportunities. Jackson Loge anchored the interior with 10 points and six rebounds, while Belka contributed eight points, late-game free throws, and disruptive on-ball defense. Concordia's efficient shooting, 55.6% from the field and 63.6% from three after halftime, helped build a double-digit lead they never relinquished.
The Cobbers outscored Hamline 46–31 in the final 20 minutes and held their largest lead of the afternoon, 14 points, with under five minutes to play, maintaining control down the stretch.
With the win, Concordia improves to 16–6 overall, 8–5 in the MIAC, strengthening its position in the conference standings. The Cobbers return to action next Saturday when they host Macalester for a 3:00 p.m. faceoff.
