Dec. 5, 2012 - The Concordia Cougars put up a season-high in points for tonight's Northern Athletics Conference game at Geiseman Gymnasium. However, it was not enough to beat the Aurora University Spartans at their own game, and the visitors outlasted the Cougars by a final score of 84-77.

Concordia jumped out to a fast start as Taylor Rawlings (Rochester Hills, MI/Stoney Creek) opened the scoring with a three-point basket. The Spartans equalized with a three by Marious Lobdell, but Brandon Johnson (Chicago, IL/Gordon Tech), Masson Prowse (Sacramento, CA/Rio Americano) and Marcus Elston (Chicago, IL/Benito Juarez) all got loose inside for lay-ups as the Cougars grabbed a 9-3 lead after five minutes.

The Cougars led 11-7 when Mike Bumber came off the bench to give the Spartans a huge lift. Bumber hit a three and followed up over the next few minutes with a fast-break score, a second three-pointer and a tip-in to put Aurora up by a 20-13 score. But Concordia bounced back with a layup by Elston, a three by Jacob Oakly (Sun Prairie, WI/H.S.) and two free throws by Khirey Floyd (Oak Park, IL/Oak Park-River Forest) to even the score midway through the half.

The two teams stayed close until the final few minutes of the half when Aurora opened up a little cushion. Scott Laskowski's layup gave the Spartans a 31-30 lead. The visitors made good on six free throws down the stretch including two by Esteban Vega that gave Aurora a 41-33 lead at the half.

Early in the second half, the Spartans bumped their lead up to 14, but the Cougars fought back to get within eight on Cole Reindl's (Germantown, WI/H.S.) three. Once again, however, the Spartans' picked up the tempo and scored a series of baskets in transition. Bumber then heated up again as he hit three from long range over a three-minute span for a 70-52 Spartans' lead.

The Cougars would not go away though as Oakley and Floyd hit threes. Concordia cut the deficit to six in the final minute, but Aurora was able to hit enough of their free throws to keep the Cougars at bay.

Elston led five Cougar players in double-figure scoring with 17 points (6-11 FG, 5-8 FT). Johnson recorded his first career-double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds while also handing out six assists. Prowse and Floyd chipped in with 12 points, and Rawlings added 10 points. The Cougars shot 39 percent from the field (24-62) and just 63 percent at the free throw line (22-35) while also committing 20 turnovers.

Bumber led all scorers with 22 points hitting 8-12 from the field, 5-8 from long range. Laskowski and Lobdell each supported with 17 points. Aurora shot 44 percent from the field (28-64) and 70 percent from the line on 21-30 while committing 17 turnovers.

Concordia (0-6, 0-2 NAC) will travel to Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee on Saturday night.