Nov. 29, 2014 - The Concordia-Chicago Cougars found themselves facing an uphill battle in this afternoon's Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference opened against the Lakeland College Muskies. The Cougars were able to overcome a 13-point deficit in the first half, but a 14-2 second-half run by Lakeland finally put any doubts about the outcome to rest as the Muskies defeated the Cougars by a final score of 76-60.
The Muskies' zone defense was effective from the start in closing up several passing lanes and forcing the Cougars to work the ball around the perimeter. Cocnordia-Chicago got early baskets by DeAires Blackwell (Chicago, IL/St. Rita) and Brandon Stinson (Schiller Park, IL/East Leyden) but then hit a five-minute scoring draught. Lakeland's Joey Burris, who entered the game averaging 23.0 points in his first three games, scored six consecutive points to give the visitors an 11-4 edge. Lakeland continued to roll, and a three by Brandon Hagenow at the 9:43 mark put the visitors up 21-8. However, a burst of energy from the bench gave CUC a needed spark. Charles Ruffing (DePere, WI/Chilton) set up Tyler Zastrow (Sheboygan, WI/Sheboygan Lutheran) and Tino Vazquez (Chicago, IL/Proviso East) for easy baskets underneath, and Kostas Doxakis (Thessaloniki, Greece) followed with the Cougars' first three of the game. A free throw by Zastrow, and baskets by Doxakis and Patrick Phillip (Kissimmee, FL/Osceola) made it a 12-0 run and, suddenly, the Cougars were back into the game trailing just 21-20. A three-point play by Zach Van Engen broke the string, but CUC kept coming and finally took the lead at 26-25 on a jumper by Kylan Anderson (Chicago, IL/home schooled). But that would be the home team's only lead of the game, and it lasted less than a minute as Derick Denny scored to put Lakeland back on top. Vazquez tied the game briefly on a free throw, but two free throws by Burris put the Muskies into the lead again, this time for good. The Cougars were still in good position as a three by Doxakis with 19 seconds left had CUC within 33-30. But a three by Hagenow beat the buzzer and allowed Lakeland to keep the momentum as they went to the locker room with a six-point lead.
Threes by Burris and Denny began the second half, but the Cougars regrouped over the next couple of minutes and clawed back to within three at 46-43 as Anderson fed Blackwell for the layup. Then came the key sequence of the game as a layup by Travis Kell triggered a 12-0 Muskies' run. A technical foul against CUC figured into the run as did a three for Denny. When Jacob Servais scored at the 10:49 mark, the Muskies had a 15-point lead at 58-43. The Cougars would get threes from Zastrow and Vazquez over the final part of the game, but the Muskies did not allow their lead to shrink under 14 points.
"We certainly had some opportunities today but missing some shots early did not help us," said CUC head coach Tyler Jones. "Then we were right there early in the second half and, in the blink of an eye, a couple of turnovers take it from a three-point game into a 15-point game. Give Lakeland's defense credit, but we didn't help ourselves today either."
The Muskies (4-0, 1-0 NACC) placed four players in double figures, led by Burris' 15 and Denny's 14. Eric Nygaard scored 12 points and pulled down a game-high 15 rebounds. Lakeland shot 43 percent from the field on 24 of 56 (6-18 threes) and 63 percent from the the foul line (22-35).
The Cougars (2-2, 0-1 NACC) were led by Vazquez with 19 points and nine rebounds. Concordia-Chicago shot 41 percent (24-58) from the field (5-21 threes) and 64 percent (7-11) from the foul line. CUC was guilty of 17 turnovers compared to Lakeland's 11.
Concordia-Chicago will host Benedictine University on Thursday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m., to close out the four-game homestand.
