Dec. 13, 2014 - The Concordia-Chicago Cougars ran up against the hottest team in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference, the Sabres of Marian University. The Cougars were hoping to end the home team's winning streak at five, but the Sabres built an 11-point halftime lead and then shot 78 percent in the second half to hold off CUC by a final score of 84-58.
A slow start put the Cougars in an early hole, as six straight points gave Marian an early 8-2 lead. A spark from the bench kept CUC in the hunt as Kostas Doxakis (Thessaloniki, Greece) hit his first two shots, one of them a three, and Tyler Zastrow (Sheboygan, WI/Sheboygan Lutheran) also knocked one down from long range. However, CUC managed just 36 percent shooting from the field in the half (8-22) while Marian was slightly under 50 percent at 14-29. The Sabres also controlled the boards by a 20-9 margin, helping them to extend their lead to 30-19 by the half. The Cougars amped up their offense in the second half behind the 6-7 shooting of Kylan Anderson (Chicago, IL/home schooled) and the 4-5 of Brandon Stinson (Schiller Park, IL/East Leyden). However, CUC would get no closer than six points due to Marian's sizzling marksmanship. The hosts hit on 18 of 23 shots, led by a herculean effort by Josh Creed. The 6'6" forward made good on nine of 12 shots from the field and all 10 of his free throws in scoring 28 of his game-high 32 points. Creed scored Marian's next 11 points after Mike Walmer's (Orlando, FL/Orlando Christian) three-point play had brought CUC to within 34-28. The Sabres' lead was boosted up to double digits and would never sink below 10 as the hosts brought their overall record to 6-2 (5-0 NACC). Concordia-Chicago (2-5, 0-4 NACC) was led by Anderson with 15 points. Stinson added 12 and Doxakis 10 as the Cougars finished the game 23-43 for 54 percent.
The Cougars return to action on Thursday, Dec. 18 with a game at Lakeland College in Sheboygan.
