Feb.16, 2016 - There couldn't be two better matchups to end the 2015-2016 season for the Concordia University Chicago women's basketball team. It's known as rivalry week around college basketball this week, and CUC kicked off their rivalry week with a wire-to-wire dominating 77-42 win over visiting Division Street rival Dominican University in the final home contest for CUC this season.

The game opened up with the Cougars coming out of the locker room ready to go. Angelik Young (Crete, IL/Crete-Monee) started the game with a lay-up on a perfect pass from Sarah Smith (St. Ignace, MI/LaSalle). CUC continued on to an 11-2 over the first five minutes of the quarter. The run was capped by five straight points from Lauren Orr (O'Fallon, MO/Lutheran St. Charles), a three from the top of the key and a layup on the fastbreak assisted by Courtney Lofink (Orange, CA/Orange Lutheran). Smith and Taylor Jacobsen (Aurora, IL/West Aurora) would get in on the action, combining to extend the lead to as many as 13 in the quarter. The Cougar defense played its strongest quarter of the year, limiting the Stars to just five points in the quarter.

CUC began the second quarter with baskets from Young and T.Jacobsen to extend the lead to 14. Dominican answered back with a three, but Miranda Rogers (Cypress, TX/Houston Christian) showed her range with a three from the top of the key to build the Cougar lead some more. The Stars tried to fight back again after a T.Jacobsen layup with a 6-0 run to cut the CUC lead to 10. However, the Cougars answered with another 6-0 run of their own started by a Young fadeaway jumper. Teaira Miller (Maywood, IL/Glenbard East) turned a Morgan Jahnke (Fox Lake, IL/Grant Community) steal into a layup, and Jahnke converted a pair of free throws. The Stars scored on a layup just before the half to send the two teams to the locker room with CUC leading Dominican 33-19.

Orr led CUC with seven points in the half followed by Young and Smith with six. Jahnke had only two points in the half but, more impressively, ripped down seven rebounds. As a team, the Cougars shot just 31 percent in the half, but the key to their lead was the defense's ability to force 15 Stars' turnovers and limit them to just eight field goals in the half.

The Cougars carried the momentum from the first half into the third quarter. Jahnke opened the third quarter scoring, and Rogers buried a three to extend the lead to 22. Later in the third, Orr and Jahnke gave the Cougars a 27-point lead with three straight baskets. Dominican battled back to as close as 21, but another strong end to the quarter by CUC, thanks to layups from Jasmine Cawley (St. Louis, MO/Lutheran South) and Jahnke gave the home team a 26-point lead after three quarters.

The Cougars enjoyed their best offensive quarter in the fourth. Hannah Rummel (Fenton, MI/Lake Fenton) began the quarter with a layup. Erin Jacobsen (Aurora, IL/West Aurora) continued to stretch the lead with a layup. Magen Lloyd (Sandy, UT/Hillcrest) would not be kept out of the scoring column either, working inside and getting rewarded with a pair of free throws. Rogers gave CUC their largest lead of the day, finishing off a fast-break. Both coaches were able to use their full complement of players. CUC head coach Rusty Rogers honored the four Cougar seniors late in the game, putting Jahnke, Rummel, Young and Kristen Shimko (Plainfield, IL/Plainfield North) in the game together and then took them out together one last time at Geiseman Gymnasium.

"We played dominating basketball on both ends of the floor, especially in the second half", remarked Rogers after the game. "We had a nice halftime talk that was needed, and the girls responded very well after I challenged them. I am very happy we could close out our home portion of the schedule on a high note against a rival."

Orr led the Cougars with 12 points (4-7 shooting) while Young and T.Jacobsen scored 10 points apiece. Jahnke recorded a good stat line with eight points, seven rebounds, five steals and four assists. Lofink recorded eight assists for the Cougars as she looks to repeat as the NACC leader in that category; Lofink leads Alannah Ferry of Benedictine University by six assists, with each player having one game left.

The Cougars as a team shot 62 percent in the second half. In total, CUC forced 30 Dominican turnovers and limited them to just 30 percent shooting from the floor.

Concordia-Chicago (10-14, 8-11 NACC) will close out the 2015-2016 season with another rivalry game against Concordia University Wisconsin on Saturday. Opening tip of the season finale is scheduled for 4:15 p.m.