Jan. 25, 2018 - When CUC women's head coach Rusty Rogers remarked last weekend that this could be the most challenging week of the season for his Cougars' team, he was not kidding. The Cougars (14-3) saw their nine-game winning streak snapped Wednesday night by the 16-1 Wisconsin Lutheran College Warriors, and the bounce back will be no easier. Concordia-Chicago plays twice this weekend at the 67th annual Concordia Invitational Tournament in Mequon, WI in what may very well be the tournament's strongest women's field in years.

Overall, the Cougars have had arguably their best season since 1985-86 when they went 17-7 and last won a CIT title. The team has been ranked among the highest scoring offenses in all of NCAA Division III, led by senior guard Taylor Jacobsen's NACC-leading 19.5 points per game. Point guard Courtney Lofink, already CUC's career leader in assists and steals at the start of the season, continues to lead at both ends of the floor, and 5' 10" Crystal Corr has become one of the rising forwards in the conference, posting five double-doubles this season and averaging 11.2 points and 8.9 rebounds. The team's deep roster is a perfect fit for Coach Rogers' pressing defense and up-tempo game.

And yet, none of the three teams that will join the Cougars at CIT this weekend, will be intimidated by the Cougars' play and excellent record. That's because all of them have reason to boast about their own seasons to this point. A collective record of 64-15 will make for one of the most interesting weekends CIT has seen since the women first began competing in the 1977 tournament.

The host CUW Falcons will be the opening assignment for the Cougars on Friday night, and this will count in the conference standings, making for a marquee matchup as both teams are tied for second place with a 10-3 record. The Falcons are a quality defensive team, allowing just 56.2 points per game, and they are strong in the post with seniors Audrey Scharmer and Brianna Wagner combining for 27 points and 17 rebounds per game. They are not a huge three-point shooting team, although Clara Chambers is a threat with 28 threes and 40 percent from outside the arc.

The Cardinals of Ann Arbor have a veteran group of players who have progressed together over the last four years, and the experience is paying off this year as CUAA is currently 15-7 and having won five of their last six. Interestingly, the Cardinals have not lost two in a row at any point this season. Senior Kari Borowiak, a 5' 7" guard, is having a wonderful senior year, leading CUAA with 20.2 points per game. The Cardinals are a dangerous three-point shooting team, led by Brianna Rowe's 67 and Borowiak's 52. They allow just 65.9 points per game, holding their opponents to under 40 percent shooting.

As good as these three teams are performing this year, it will require a herculean effort to knock off Concordia Nebraska. The Bulldogs defeated Hastings College on Wednesday to improve their record to 22-0 on the season and maintain their #1 ranking in the NAIA Division II. The Lady Bulldogs have had a death grip on the CIT women's title for eight of the last 10 years, and the Cougars, Cardinals and Falcons would all like to be the ones to break that string. CUNE is a strong defensive team, allowing just 64.9 per game, but they can also score with abandon (90.3 per game). They have four double-digit scorers and a deep bench, with Quinn Wrogge's 13.6 scoring average leading the way. Philomena Lammers has been a standout defensive player with 53 steals and 31 blocks on the year.

Links to all of the Cougars' games at CIT can be found on the "live coverage" link under the "Fan Zone" on the web page, www.cucougars.com.