RIVER FOREST, Ill. -- Looking to snap a five-game losing streak, the Concordia-Chicago Cougars welcomed the Edgewood Eagles into Geiseman Gymnasium this evening. With neither team ever leading by more than nine points, the game would come down to the wire for the Cougars once again, who missed a last chance bucket and fell 63-62 to the Eagles.
Turning Point:
- Concordia-Chicago shot just 13-of-24 from the free throw line tonight, including 8-of-15 during the second half when the game came down to the final minutes of play. Edgewood earned 13 trips to the charity stripe and drained 10 of their free throw shots.
Inside the Box Score:
- Dewayne Burns Jr. was critical in keeping tonight's game close for the Cougars, as he picked up five steals, two rebounds and one assist in just 15 minutes of work. Burns' most clutch opportunity would come with 11 seconds left, as he earned CUC its final scoring opportunity of the night.
- Justin Schwarz entered tonight's game, marking his first appearance on the floor since December of 2018. In his three minutes of play, the junior drained a three-pointer and picked up one rebound.
- Raushaun Amos led the night offensively for the Cougars, scoring a team-high 16 points.
- Izak Ruddell had another complete performance this evening, as he scored eight points, grabbed nine boards and dished three assists.
- Senior Xeo Golding finished with 15 points and eight boards, three of which were on the offensive glass.
Quick Recap:
- The Cougars jumped out early in the first half of play, taking a quick 9-2 lead over the Eagles in the first five minutes of action. CUC's 9-2 run was capped off by a three-pointer from rookie Brent Hatten.
- Less than four minutes later, Edgewood clawed its way back from the deficit and made it a tie game at 11.
- Despite the Eagles' surge, Amos answered back quickly with an immedite pull-up jumper that was good for three more points for CUC.
- With a one-point lead and seven minutes to play in the half, Landen Gladney put up one of his four baskets from tonight to make it a 20-17 game, in favor of the Cougars.
- As the clock wound down to its final five minutes of play, Schwarz entered the game and quickly put up a near-sided three-pointer that gave CUC a seven-point lead, at 26-19. With Schwarz's three, the Cougars had taken their largest lead of the night.
- Closing out the frame, Golding put up a dagger three-pointer that established Concordia-Chicago's lead at 31-25 heading into the break.
- The Eagles would come out of the halftime break re-energized, as they went on a 6-0 run over the first two minutes of play, and tied things up at 31 apiece.
- For the next seven minutes of play, CUC and Edgewood would exchange leads back and forth until the Eagles eventually went on another run, this time 11-4, and pulled away to a 55-46 point lead. With just six minutes remaining in the game, the Eagles had created their largest lead of the game.
- With two minutes to go, and down by eight, Amos hit another three that ignited CUC's offense and made it a 59-54 game.
- From there, the Cougars nearly iced Edgewood for the final two minutes of play and managed to catch up to pull within just one of the Eagles at 63-62, with 21 seconds left.
- While it was an Eagles' possession, Burns came up with his fifth and final, and most critical, steal of the night that allowed the Cougars one last chance to win it.
- With 11 seconds to go, Edgewood applied tight pressure and forced the Cougars to shoot a long three that would eventually go wide, allowing the Eagles to win the NACC contest.
Up Next:
- The Cougars (6-12, 5-8 NACC) will come back to Geiseman Gymnasium on Saturday for a weekend double-header against MSOE. Tip off scheduled for 2 p.m., with CUC looking to pick up a much-needed conference victory over the Raiders (11-7, 8-5 NACC).
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