Dec. 19, 2011 - In an early season that has been replete with high-caliber opposition, the Concordia Cougars may have faced their toughest opponent on Monday night. The Cougars hosted sister school Concordia University from Irvine, California in the first of three straight non-conference games to close out the 2011 portion of the schedule. The Eagles entered last weekend as the number one team in the NAIA Division I and came into Geiseman Gymnasium with a 9-1 record.
Against all of this and without the services of number two scorer Charles Gordon (Chicago, IL/Lane Tech), the Cougars gave the visitors a good run for their money for much of the first half. However, the Eagles' superior balance eventually won out by a 94-72 score.
The Cougars fell behind 6-2 as Cameron Gliddon scored five early points, but Khirey Floyd (Oak Park, IL/Oak Park-River Forest) and Justin Hineman (Hartland, WI/Arrowhead) hit jumpers to bring the home team even. Issa Avery (Evanston, IL/St. Benedict) then scored on a tip-in to give the Cougars their first lead of the night. Avery was a force on the boards this night with seven of his game-high 10 rebounds coming on the offensive end of the floor.
Irvine eventually regained the lead at 15-14 and held their advantage for the remainder of the half, but the Cougars would not let them run away. Keegan Johnson's (Sycamore, IL/H.S.) jumper had the home team within 35-31 with 2:19 to play in the half. The Eagles then went on a 10-2 run before Floyd hit a three to beat the halftime horn. However, the Cougars went to the locker room trailing 45-36.
The Eagles came out strong to start the second half and, fueled by Austin Simon's three-point play, went on an 8-0 run to open up a 17-point lead. Floyd's three-point play would bring the Cougars back within 12 moments later, but Gliddon's three and a DeLaun Frazier basket on the fast break helped the visitors reestablish control. Simon's breakaway slam gave the Eagles their first 20-point lead of the game at the 10:11 mark. They stretched their lead as high as 28 before the Cougars trimmed it back to the final 22-point margin.
Six Eagles' players scored in double figures, led by Simon's 17 points. Simon shot 7-10 from the field while also contributing five blocks and four steals. Donnell Phifer scored 14 points including 5-6 from the field, and Gliddon and Tim Harris each added 13.The Eagles shot 52 percent for the game on 35 of 67 including a solid 39 percent (9-23) from three-point range.
Avery led the Cougars with 21 points to go with 10 boards, three assists and two steals. Floyd chipped in with 13 points, and Hineman added 11 points and seven rebounds. The Cougars hit 23 of 64 from the field for 36 percent and shot 4-12 (33 percent) from behind the arc.
Concordia-Chicago (2-7) will travel to Texas next week for games against Concordia University Austin and the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.
