Jan. 25, 2013 - Tonight's first-round game of the Concordia Invitational Tournament paired the Concordia Cougars against the Lady Bulldogs of host Concordia Nebraska. The Cougars fared well against their second-ranked (NAIA Division II) opponents until late in the first half when the Lady Bulldogs reeled off a 21-0 run to turn a close game into a 90-49 rout.
The Cougars gave the Lady Bulldogs a good run of things early on as Krystyna Rickett (Sandusky, MI/H.S.) provided some early offense with her three lifting the team to an 11-5 lead. The hosts came back to take a 13-11 lead, but Ashley DiCristofano's (Elmwood Park, IL/H.S.) baseline jumper knotted the score.
Trailing 20-15 later in the half, Angelik Young (Crete, IL/Crete-Monee) scored on a putback and then a jumper on the fast break to make it a one-point game. But Concordia Nebraska broke the game wide open with a 21-point run. Bailey Morris, Beth Kometscher and Kristen Conahan hit threes during the run, and posts Britney Birtell and Ashley Kuntz gave the hosts some strong inside play. Young's layup in the final seconds of the half finally broke the run, but the Cougars still trailed 41-21 at the break.
The Cougars could make no inroads in the second half against the Lady Bulldogs' press. Sixteen turnovers contributed to CUC getting just 17 shots in the half, although they did go to the free throw line 18 times. Meanwhile, CUNE shot 18-38 in the second half.
Young and April Broska (New Boston, MI/Lutheran South) tied for the Cougar scoring lead with 10 points each, Young scoring all of hers in the first half and Broska all of hers after halftime.
Kassy Koehler (Belvidere, IL/Rockford Lutheran) led the Cougars' rebounding with six.
Concordia-Chicago will play conference rival Concordia Wisconsin in Saturday's third-place game, although the game will not count in the NAC standings. The Cougars and Falcons met back on Dec. 1 when CUW won at Geiseman Gymnasium by a 66-59 score.
