Concordia University Chicago Athletics

Dec. 12, 2015 - With finals week coming to a close, the Concordia Chicago Cougars would have one more test this afternoon, taking on the Wisconsin Lutheran Warriors in a big early season battle between two teams looking to make a splash in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference this year. The back-and-forth game would be hard fought between the two teams with the Cougars striking the final blow with the 89-85 victory.

The game would open up with both teams playing strong defense early in the contest. Justin Saar (Tracy, CA/Merrill F. West) opened up the Cougar scoring with a three. WLC played a strong defensive game in the first six minutes, limiting the Cougars to six points, but the Cougars trailed by only 8-6. Kris Claybon (Chicago, IL/Michele Clark) broke the scoreless streak with a free throw, but the defensive struggle continued with multiple Cougars picking up fouls. WLC took a timeout with 11:59 left, still holding an 8-7 lead.

After the timeout, LaRon Wade (Chicago, IL/Farragut Academy) gave CUC its first lead of the day with a jumper from the left wing. WLC regained the lead briefly and then went looking for more, but a hustle defensive play by Kylan Anderson (Chicago, IL/home schooled) gave Concordia-Chicago the ball back and Mike Walmer (Orlando, FL.Orlando Christian) scored for an 11-10 CUC lead.
halfway through the first.

Walmer wasn't done in the half either. After an Anderson three and a Warrior basket, Walmer used his speed to drive the lane and put an impressive floater in while drawing a foul. The free throw gave the Cougars the lead at 19-18, but the Warriors scored eight of the next 11 points. Mitch Pelissier (Puyallup, WA/Mount Rainier Lutheran) made his first field goal, a 15-footer that brought the Cougars back within four. Anderson then brought CUC a point closer, answering a Warriors' basket with an NBA-range three. A Saar layup after a Warrior turnover drew the Cougars within one with four minutes remaining in the first. WLC tried to capture the momentum back after a Jim Marose putback dunk, but back-to-back layups by Saar restored the lead to the Cougars at 36-35, forcing a WLC timeout. the teams traded baskets and headed to the locker rooms with the Cougars leading 38-37.

Anderson paced the Cougars with 13 points in the half. Walmer put together his strongest half of the year with seven points, and Saar finished with nine points on 4-5 shooting. Both teams would shoot over 40% in the half (CUC .432, WLC .483). WLC had a large advantage in the rebounding category, but CUC forced 14 WLC turnovers in the half to even things out. The back-and-forth half saw the lead change between the teams nine times, setting up for a very intense second half.

WLC opened the second half on a quick 5-0 run, but a Walmer jumper cut the WLC lead to two. The Warriors' defense clamped down briefly on the Cougar shooters, forcing a CUC timeout with Wisconsin Lutheran leading 44-40. Following the break, Walmer continued his strong game with a long jumper, cutting the lead back to two, and CUC soon tied it up at 46 after a tough acrobatic layup by Anderson. WLC countered with a basket inside, but it was Walmer again that knocked down the three to restore the Cougar lead at 49-48 with 13:45 remaining. Anderson also continued to heat up by making another tough layup with contact, giving CUC the 53-50 lead with 12:06 remaining, forcing WLC to burn another timeout.

The tight contest continued. WLC tied the game up again off of a Jake Jarnigo three, but DeAires Blackwell (Chicago, IL/St. Rita) gave CUC the lead back 57-55 with 10:41 remaining. Walmer extended the lead off a second-chance layup. The Cougars continued to apply full pressure, forcing multiple Warrior turnovers. Pelissier knocked down two free throws to extend the Cougar advantage out to five. CUC slowly continued to build on their lead as an Anderson three and a Walmer layup sandwiched WLC basket, extending the lead to six. A closely-called contest put the Warriors in the bonus with 7:14 remaining. Anderson, the NACC's scoring leader, then hit a deep three to give CUC the 71-62 lead.

With 6:28 remaining Anderson reached a career milestone as he was fouled shooting a three. His first free throw marked his 1000^th career point, covering two years at Morton College and a season plus four games at CUC.. That free throw was also the first of five in a row for Anderson , eventially giving CUC a 13-point lead. 

Wisconsin Lutheran continued to fight. A Chase Nowak layup and two Collin Kennedy free throws cut the CUC lead to eight with 4:03 remaining. Pelissier knocked down one of two free throws, and Claybon answered a Warriors' basket with a layup to extend the lead to 79-70. Both Blackwell and Claybon would foul out though with 2:40 remaining. Wade would try and put an end to the WLC charge with a three from the left corner.  Walmer then fouled out with 1:37 remaining, but WLC would only make one of two free throws. Marose pulled the Warriors within eight, but the Cougars' free throw shooting would be imperative down the stretch. Pelissier knocked down a pair, pushing the lead back out to 10. WLC would get two late baskets, but it would not be enough as CUC closed out the game with the 89-85 victory.
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CUC shot 43 percent from the field for the game, led by Anderson's 30 points. Walmer and Saar played their best games of the year so far, Walmer finishing with 18 and Saar 11. A key to the game for CUC was their ability to force 24 WLC turnovers.

"It was tough with three of our key players fouling out down the stretch," said CUC head coach Randy Rogers. "Walmer and Saar stepped up big for us when we needed them to today. This was a good team win and a big step in the right direction."

The Cougars (2-2, 2-1 NACC) will look to extend their winning streak to three on Tuesday night in River Forest against Lakeland College. Opening tip is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. from Geiseman Gymnasium.