11-Point Streaks Stop Oles
Concordia used a pair of 11-point streaks in the second half to better St. Olaf 62-50.
MOORHEAD, Minn. (1/27/16)—Greta Walsh scored 16 points in the first half and Concordia had eight players score at least two points in the second half and pulled away from St. Olaf 62-50 in a battle of teams fighting for playoff position in the league standings.
The Cobbers' used their balance scoring attack to outscore the Oles 30-20 in the final two quarters of play and have now won four straight games. Concordia is now only one game behind the two-way tie for first place in the conference standings. CC is 12-6 in all games and 8-3 in the MIAC. They are now in a three-way tie for third place with Gustavus and St. Benedict who both have identical 8-3 league marks.
St. Olaf falls for the third straight game and is now 10-8 in all games and 5-6 overall.
While it was a balanced attack in the second half for Concordia, it was the Greta Walsh show in the two opening quarters of play. Walsh scored 16 of her game-high 18 points in the first half alone. She was 6-for-11 from the field and 2-for-4 from outside the arc in the first and second quarters. Her 16 points was 50.0% of the team's total in the first half.
Walsh had five points in the first quarter as Concordia built a 14-10 lead after one period. The Cobbers built the lead to nine points at 19-10 on a 3-pointer from Walsh but then St. Olaf stormed back to score the next nine points and tie the game at 19-19.
The game was tied at 27-27 with under 1:30 to play in the half and then Walsh's second trey of the period and a nifty up-and-under scoop shot gave CC a 32-30 lead into the break.
Concordia made a pair of 11-point extended runs in the third and fourth quarters. The Cobbers grabbed an 11-point lead in the third quarter after an 11-2 run but then the Oles were able to knock the margin down to three points in the first three minutes of the fourth quarter.
The decisive run for Concordia started at the 5:48 mark of the final period. CC won the game with an 11-0 run over a span of 4:16 to grab a 62-48 lead. The key for the final run of the game came from the depth of the Cobbers' scoring. Concordia had six different players score points in the 11-0 streak to win the game. Crystal Amundson started the streak with a jumper in the paint. Freshman guard Jamie Mentzer hit a runner in the lane before Cassidy Rahman connected on one of two free throws. Jenna Januschka was fouled, went to the line and made both free throws. Olivia Johnson and Katie Rosenfeldt finished off the spree. Johnson connected on a traditional 3-point play and then Rosenfeldt hit a baseline jumper.
Concordia shot 41.8% (23-for-55) from the floor and 31.8% (7-for-22) from outside the arc for the game. St. Olaf was 19-for-61 (31.1%) from the field and 9-for-28 (32.1%) from 3-point range.
Concordia vs. St. Olaf Highlights
GIVE IT TO GRETA
Greta Walsh attempted 17 of the team's 55 shots in the game. That total represents 30.9% of the team's total field goal attempts. Walsh's 17 shot attempts was the second highest total of the season. She put up 23 tries against St. Mary's. Walsh's 18 points is the third highest total of the year and the seventh time this season she has scored 15 or more points.
GLASS TIME
Concordia outrebounded St. Olaf 46-31. The 46 rebounds marks the eighth time this year they have collected 40 or more boards in a game and the plus-15 margin is the fourth highest advantage this season. The Cobbers are now second in the MIAC in rebounds per game in conference games. CC is averaging 40.0 rebounds per game in their 11 MIAC games.
DOUBLE DOUBLE HANNAH
Senior Hannah Jeske scored 10 points and collected 10 rebounds to record her third double-double of the season and second in the past four games. Each time she has posted a double-double she has grabbed 10 rebounds.
AND SO CLOSE
Junior Jenna Januschka was one point away from a double-double. She had nine points and a game-high 11 rebounds. The 11 boards ties a season high and is the fourth time this season she has been in double figures on the glass.
WHAT'S NEXT
Concordia will now hit the road for a pair of games. The Cobbers will play at Augsburg on Saturday at 3 p.m. and then at Carleton on Wednesday at 7:45 p.m. The Auggies knocked off league-leading St. Mary's on Wednesday. Augsburg is now 10-8 overall and 5-6 in conference games.