Dec. 15, 2012 - With several of the Cougars' first-year players stepping up late in today's Northern Athletics Conference game, the Concordia-Chicago men's basketball team earned their first win of the season this afternoon, 75-69 over Maranatha Baptist Bible College in Watertown, Wisconsin.
The Crusaders jumped out to a 16-6 lead after six minutes. Joel Borchardt accounted for much of the damage with nine points including a three-point play to give the hosts their biggest lead of the half. But the Cougars received a big spark from their bench to get back into the game.
Khirey Floyd (Oak Park, IL/Oak Park-River Forest) nailed a three from the left side.
Aurtiro Houston (Chicago, IL/Crane) followed with a pair of inside baskets, and Floyd added a putback moments later to tie the game at 17-17.
Concordia's three-point shooting heated up, putting the visitors firmly back into the game.
Cole Reindl (Germantown, WI/H.S.) and
Tyler Oden (Chicago, IL/Marist) each connected, and
Brandon Stinson (Schiller Park, IL/East Leyden) hit on consecutive shots from the right side, the second giving Concordia a 31-28 lead, its first lead since the first basket of the game. The Crusaders regained the lead momentarily, but Floyd's three in the final minute sent the Cougars to the locker room with a 36-35 lead.
The lead exchanged hands six times during the first eight minutes of the second half.
Marcus Elston (Chicago, IL/Benito Juarez), who was limited to just six minutes in the first half, scored six of the Cougars' first 13 points of the half, including the fast-break layup with 12:01 left that put Concordia in the lead for good at 49-48.
Freshman
Joel Kosberg (Anthem, AZ/Valley Lutheran) was the next player to step up. Kosberg drilled a three to give Concordia a four-point lead. Moments later, after rebounding a missed Crusaders' shot, Kosberg was fouled and hit both free throws for a 54-48 advantage midway through the half.
Maranatha looked to come back as Borchardt and Matthew McGivern hit from the outside. But Oden heated up again, scoring the next six points including a jumper over the 6' 6" Borchardt. Stinson added a pair of free throws. Oden hit a short jumper, and Stinson added a huge three with just under three minutes left for a 67-61 Cougar lead.
The Crusaders still did not go quietly as McGivern scored with 47 seconds left. But Kosberg sealed the Cougars' winning effort by hitting five of six free throws to finally put away a scrappy Maranatha team.
Oden followed up a career-high 17-point effort at Wiscosnin Lutheran last week with 16 tonight while adding three assists and three steals. Kosberg, playing just his third collegiate game, scored 14 on 3-5 shooting and 7-8 at the line. Stinson, a sophomore transfer, also scored 14 on 4-7 shooting (3-4 on threes) and 3-6 at the line.
Maranatha was led by Borchardt's career-high 30 points (8-19 FG, 1-4 3FG, 13-22 FT) and 11 rebounds. McGivern and Zach Janes each added 11 points.
Concordia will go for a 2-0 weekend when they play NAIA opponent Roosevelt University Sunday afternoon. Tip-off is at 4:00 at the Goodman Center in downtown Chicago.
