Dec. 29, 2012 - A 19-point run by the Concordia Cougar women's basketball team made matters interesting but ultimately came up short in Saturday afternoon's consolation game at the Wartburg College Holiday Tournament. Northwestern College of Minnesota made some clutch three-point baskets to stave off the Cougars' ferocious charge and claim a 65-48 victory.
The Cougars claimed an early 4-3 lead, but 7-26 shooting for the first half prevented them from getting any sustained rhythm. On the other end of the floor, the Eagles' Chamel Madson knocked down three shots from beyind the arc on her way to an 11-point first half. Northwestern's lead stood at 29-16 after 20 minutes of play.
Concordia scored the first four points of the second half, but Northwestern answered with a 14-1 run to boost the lead up to 22 points. When the Eagles' Mollie Sir canned a three, the Minnesotans had their largest lead of the game at 51-26 with 12:28 left to play.
Moments later,
Hannah Rummel (Fenton, MI/Lake Fenton) converted a three-point play and suddenly the Cougars roared to life. The defense took charge over the following eight minutes, forcing the Eagles into six missed shots and 10 turnovers. The offense nibbled away at first, cutting the lead to 12 points with just over five minutes left. Then, a quick burst of points turned up the heat.
Angelik Young's (Crete, IL/Crete-Monee) putback made it a 51-41 game.
April Broska (New Boston, MI/Lutheran South) scored Concordia's next two baskets, bringing the Cougars within six with still four minutes remaining.
Madson's three broke the Eagles' long dry spell, but
Krystyna Rickett's (Sandusky, MI/H.S.) three at the 2:59 mark put the Cougars back within 54-48. However, that would be the end of the Cougars' scoring. Northwestern got threes from Kim Campbell, Sir and Madson on their next three possessions to finally put away a determined Concordia side.
Broska led the Cougars with 10 points (5-10 shooting) and six rebounds. Rickett and
Jessica Genke (Kiel, WI/H.S.) each scored nine points; Genke added seven rebounds and five steals while Rickett added five assists and four steals. Young tallied eight points and five rebounds, and her two days' effort landed her a place on Wartburg's all-tournament team.
Northwestermn (6-5) was led by Madson's 22 points and Sir's 18 points and nine rebounds. The two combined for 12 of the Eagles' 13 threes; the Eagles finished with 13-27 from behind the arc (48 percent).
Concordia (2-9) resumes Northern Athletics Conference play on Thursday, Jan. 3 with a game at Alverno College in Milwaukee.
