Feb. 14, 2015 - It's easy to understand why the Concordia-Chicago women's basketball team would not want the home schedule to come to an end. A comeback from a nine-point deficit and eventual 91-83 win over Marian University put the Cougars at 9-3 on the Geiseman Gymnasium floor. The win also lifted CUC's overall record to 14-10, 11-8 in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference and guaranteed the team's winningest season since the 2007-08 team finished 17-10.
The Cougars topped 90 points for the fifth time this season, and they needed the offense as the Sabres matched their pace for virtually the entire 40 minutes. However, CUC had just a little bit more on offense as they shot 49 percent to MU's 43 percent. Free throws made (20) and rebounds (40) were dead even, and turnovers were very close with Marian committing 16 and CUC 14.
Perhaps the biggest deciding factor in today's game was the Cougars' scoring balance. Six players hit double figures for CUC, led by
Morgan Jahnke's (Fox Lake, IL/Grant Community) 19.
Courtney Lofink (Orange, CA/Orange Lutheran) added 16, followed by
Lauren Orr (O'Fallon, MO/Lutheran St. Charles) and
Miranda Rogers (Cypress, TX/Houston Christian) with 15 each.
Jaela DeJean (Houston, TX) and
Angelik Young (Crete, IL/Crete-Monee) rounded out the double-digit list with 12 and 10 points respectively.
Lofink completed a remarkable week in which she shot a combined 13-15 in today's game and Wednesday's game against Aurora University. The freshman's only two misses were on her two three-point attempts and, as always, she contributed in other areas as well with today's stats also featuring seven rebounds, four assists and three steals.
Concordia got off to a slow start today as they found themselves trailing 9-4 after the first two minutes. However, five straight points by Lofink drew the Cougars even, and Rogers gave the Cougars a 12-9 lead as she cashed in the first of her five threes (in seven attempts).
The lead exchanged hands several times in the first half with neither side gaining more than a six-point edge. The Cougars regained the lead at the 3:13 mark of the half on Orr's three and went up 44-38 on DeJean's layup. The Sabres closed to within 45-42 in the final minute, but
Hailey Lindblom (Minneapolis, MN/Richfield) put back a miss in the last few seconds to make the halftime score CUC 47, MU 42.
Marian stormed back early in the second half, led by Sarah Olewinski. Held to just two points in the first half, the Sabres' leading scorer would score 20 after halftime. Olewinski hit a three and soon after made a layup to give the Sabres a lead at 56-55.
A basket by Lofink and free throw by DeJean sent CUC back into the lead, but not for long. Olewinski led a 10-0 charge with seven consecutive points as the Sabres grabbed a 66-58 lead. Orr's three stopped the bleeding momentarily, but Olewinski answered with a three. Three free throws by Nicole Paulus along with another basket by Olewinski had the Cougars in trouble as they trailed 74-65 with eight minutes to play.
The Cougars regrouped and quickly found the answers they needed as the next nine points belonged to them. Two free throws by Jahnke and baskets by Lindblom and Orr brought CUC close, and Rogers' fifth three of the day made it a new game at 74-74. Minutes later, Orr cashed in her fourth triple of the game for an 80-77 lead, and the Cougars would not surrender this lead. The Sabres pulled within one with 91 seconds remaining, but Lofink's final two baskets helped to put the visitors away.
"This game was a microcosm of our season," said CUC head coach Rusty Rogers. "Lots of ups and downs, but we figured out a way to compete down the stretch."
Concordia will wrap up the regular season on Tuesday night with a game at Dominican University. A CUC win or a loss by Edgewood College will wrap up a fifth seed in the conference tournament which begins next Saturday, Feb. 21.
