February 5, 2025
Cobbers Post A "Bend But Don't Break" OT Win
In the end it was a win. Concordia needed to come up with a huge defensive stand at the end of regulation to force overtime against St. Olaf and then scored the first seven points of the extra session to come away with a “bend but don’t break” 69-63 win.
MOORHEAD, Minn. (2/5/25)---In the end it was a win. Concordia needed to come up with a huge defensive stand at the end of regulation to force overtime against St. Olaf and then scored the first seven points of the extra session to come away with a "bend but don't break" 69-63 win.
The Cobbers were able to outlast the upset-minded Oles despite the fact that St. Olaf held the advantage in almost every statistical category. Concordia made two fewer field goals, three fewer 3-pointers, was outrebounded by 13 and outscored in the paint 34-32.
Concordia got the win by forcing 26 turnovers and turning that into a 26-14 margin in points off of miscues. The Cobbers also attempted 20 more free throws in the game and connected on 13 more than the Oles.
No matter the way in which Concordia got to the finish line, it goes in the book as a win and helps the Cobbers move into a tie for fifth place in the MIAC standings. CC is 8-5 in league play and 13-7 overall.
Concordia led for over 35 minutes in the game against St. Olaf, never trailed in the second half but couldn't break free from the Oles. The game featured six tie scores, four of which came in the final 2:30 of play.
The Cobbers led by as many as nine points in the fourth quarter, but each CC lead was met by a St. Olaf point streak. St. Olaf went on a 9-0 run midway through the final period of regulation to tie the score after Concordia led 50-41. The Cobbers regained a -point advantage with 2:00 to play but then the Oles tied the game once more.
St. Olaf (6-14, 0-13 MIAC) trailed by two with 30 seconds to play, scored on a layup, got a defensive stand and had the final chance to win the game in regulation. The Cobbers then came up with the clutch defensive stand which sent the game into overtime.
The Cobbers got a 3-pointer from Carlee Sieben, a jumper from Makayla Anderson and then two free throws from Sieben to take a 65-58 lead at the start of the OT session. St. Olaf tried to make one final run to get back in the game but Anderson made another jumper to keep the Oles from getting within four points for the final minute over overtime.
Anderson led all players with 23 points. She was 9-for-16 from the floor. She also grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds to record her sixth double-double of the season.
Senior post player Greta Tollefson was the only other CC player with more than seven points in the game. She was 6-for-7 from the floor and finished with 14 points.
One of the key stretches of the game was turned in by sophomore Alexa Snesrud who got to the free throw line on two consecutive trips down the floor after St. Olaf had tied the game twice in the final minute of regulation.
Snesrud finished with six points, four assists and a team-high three steals.
Concordia will hit the road for the first time in February when they play at St. Benedict on Saturday, Feb. 8 at 1 p.m.
CONCORDIA vs. ST. OLAF HIGHLIGHTS
CONCORDIA vs. ST. OLAF HIGHLIGHTS
