Dec. 19, 2015 - Winter break may be upon many of is, but not the Concordia University Chicago Cougars. They began a busy back-to-back weekend with a rematch with the Edgewood College Eagles this afternoon in Madison, WI. It was a game that looked like the Eagles would run away in the second half, but the Cougars were able to dial up pressure and come back from 14 down in the second half to win 84-79.

The Cougars love to run the floor and score the basketball, but the early going would be tough shooting for both teams; CUC grabbed the early lead with a tough pull-up jumper and a layup from Mike Walmer (Orlando, FL/Orlando Christian), but Edgewood fought back to tie it up at 8-8 with 14 minutes left in the half. Edgewood took the lead momentarily, but a jumper from Kris Claybon (Chicago, IL/Michele Clark) and a three from Kylan Anderson (Chicago, IL/home schooled) brought CUC back at 16 points apiece. DeAires Blackwell (Chicago, IL/St. Rita) would come in off the bench and give the Cougars the lead 19-18 midway through the first on an acrobatic layup while getting fouled. The two teams continued to trade baskets over the next few minutes. Edgewood would stretch a lead out to six, but Anderson would counter with a three. The Eagles started to heat up from the field though. A Spencer Barnes three and an Arik Anderson free throw would stretch the lead to eight and force a Cougar timeout with 6:20 remaining.

Anderson and Claybon gave CUC a spark out of the timeout, but Edgewood would be able to get their inside game working to keep the Cougars chasing. CUC would have trouble finding the basket, but Edgewood hit a deep three before the shot clock expired to extend the lead to 41-29 with four minutes left in the half. However,CUC closed out the half strong. They began to dial up their strong full court pressure, and baskets by Walmer, Justin Saar (Tracy, CA/Merrill F. West), and Kyle Hoffman (Manitowoc, WI/Lincoln) cut the Eagle lead to 44-37 with just over a minute remaining in the half. Edgewood scored the last basket of the half, and they headed into the locker room leading 46-37.

Anderson would lead CUC in the half with 11 points on 4-9 shooting.  Trevon Ampe was Edgewood's leader with 11 as well. CUC shot .400 from the field. The lead would change between the two teams a total of eight times in the half, but the difference was Edgewood's ability to shoot .514 from the field in the half, mainly over the last seven minutes.

The second half began much like the first.  Both teams traded baskets over the first few minutes with both teams able to get baskets inside. Edgewood though would go on a run, stretching the lead back out to 14 points with 15:25 remaining. Mitch Pelissier (Puyallup, WA/Mount Rainier Lutheran) put an end to the Eagles' run with a layup, but Edgewood continued to have their way inside and keep the Cougars at bay. CUC took a timeout trailing 59-49 with 13:01 remaining.

Pelissier and Jeramiah Williams (Peoria, IL/Woodruff) tried to get CUC going coming out of the timeout.  But second-chance points kept the Eagles lead in double digits. Concordia was able to get to the free throw line early in the half, getting into the bonus with 10:30 remaining. Saas knocked down a pair of free throws  and then turn an Anderson steal into a layup. Claybon did a great job running out in transition and extend the Cougar run and force an Eagles' timeout trailing by six with 9:37 remaining.

Edgewood came out of the timeout sandwiching a Claybon basket with two threes and a Lopez jumper to extend the lead back to 12. CUC continued to add full court pressure to the Eagles. Pelissier completed a three-point play, and Anderson would make a signature tough layup to get back within six with 6:39 remaining.

Anderson got the Cougars within four momentarily. Edgewood answered again, but the Cougar pressure and four free throws by Walmer and Blackwell pulled CUC within two with 4:14 remaining. CUC took the lead with just under four minutes remaining after an Anderson three. Saar immediately turned an Eagles' turnover into a layup with a foul. With the basket, Saar extended the new Cougar lead out to three, forcing another Eagle timeout with 3:44 remaining.

The Eagles hung tough as Ampe scored inside and then tied the game up at 77 just moments later with a jumper just inside the free throw line. Walmer drove and lay one in to give CUC the lead, but it was Ampe again who would tie the game up at 79.

CUC head coach Randy Rogers took a timeout to set up what would prove to be the deciding play of the game. Edgewood would have the ball after the timeout, but the Cougars got it back after forcing a turnover which led to an easy fastbreak layup for Walmer to give the Cougars the lead for good. Walmer knocked down 3-4 free throws down the stretch for CUC to preserve the 84-79 comeback victory.

"I am proud of the way we fought today," said Rogers. "Being down 14 on the road in the second half, and to come back the way we did says a lot about our guys. Being able to get our full court pressure going and forcing the 16 second half turnovers was key for us today."

Anderson led the way for CUC with a double-double of 23 points and 10 rebounds. Walmer finished the day with 17 points, going 7-8 from the free throw line. Claybon also made double figures with 10 points on 5-8 shooting. As a team, CUC would shoot .431 from the field, and a season best .857 from the free throw line.

The Cougars (3-3 3-2 NACC) will have less than 24 hours to rest up before a tough matchup at UW-Whitewater tomorrow afternoon. Tip is scheduled for 1 p.m. from Whitewater.