On the hunt for their first win since Jan. 4, the Concordia University Chicago women's basketball team (8-6, 7-2) made the trek to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, for a matchup with Marian University (4-11, 3-5). Katherine Benes (Oconomowoc, Wis.) scored nearly half of CUC's points on route to the team's 68-61 victory over the Sabres.
Inside the Box Score
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Benes had carte blanche all night offensively, dropping 38 points. This ties her previous season/career high, which she set at Concordia University Wisconsin on Nov. 16, 2022.
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Mikalah Ellis (Chicago, Ill.) dominated defensively, tallying three blocks throughout the game, tying her career high. The senior also snagged three steals, which also tied a career high.
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Alisyn MacGregor (Loves Park, Ill.) led all players in rebounds with her 13. MacGregor has now grabbed 10+ boards in four straight contests.
First Quarter
Marian opened the scoring up 40 seconds into the game, but a Melia Perry (Plainfield, Ill.) three in response gave the Cougars a quick 3-2 edge. The next three minutes featured the offenses trading blows, with a Perry jumper at the 5:16 mark representing the sixth lead change in that span.
Two good free throws and a three-ball from Lexi Brakebush put the Sabres in charge, 15-11, but another Perry three pulled Concordia within one. Paris Harris gave her Marian team a little breathing room with a three-pointer, but yet another three from Perry kept the Sabre lead at one.
The last five points of the quarter belonged to the Sabres, giving them a 23-17 edge after 10 minutes.
Second Quarter
The run continued for Marian to start the second quarter, as they built up to an eight point lead, their largest of the night, at the 9:20 mark. A make from three-land from Benes cut into the lead, but an and-one converted by Brakebush put the lead right back at eight.
Five straight points from Benes made it a one-point game before a 7-2 Sabre run enlarged the deficit to eight once more. Only seven points were scored in the final four minutes of the half, with five of those belonging to Benes, including a three-point basket and buzzer-beating layup. With 20 minutes in the books, Marian led CUC 37-32.
Third Quarter
The five point lead never changed much during the third frame, as both teams struggled to gain momentum offensively. Harris started the scoring with a bucket from beyond the arc, but MacGregor quickly responded with two points in the paint. A jumper from Kiara Williams negated the MacGregor score, setting the lead at eight.
The Cougars and Sabres then traded six straight buckets, highlighted by Benes pulling up from deep and sinking a three to make the score 46-41, Marian.
With roughly one minute to go in the third, Concordia was finally able to string some points together. A fastbreak layup from Benes turned into a three-point play when she was fouled on the way up. Ellis then converted on a free throw of her own to pull CUC within four, 49-45, at the end of quarter three.
Fourth Quarter
With a comeback in sight, Benes got the Cougars started off right with another and-one conversion at the beginning of the final quarter.
The lead briefly belonged to Concordia after another bucket from Benes, but Marian quickly took it back with a score of their own. Benes was not done yet however, draining a three to give CUC the lead back.
Despite another two points from Benes, the Sabres knotted things up again with 3:20 left in regulation. The teams found themselves tied once more 1:11 later after each scored four points. A successful two-for-two trip to the charity strip from Ellis put the Cougars up two, and a fastbreak make from Benes enlarged that lead to four, 63-59.
With 46 seconds left on the clock, Marian made it a one possession game thanks to a Harris layup, but a dagger three from Ellis proved too much for the Sabres to overcome. Jaylene Wade (Lansing, Ill.) tacked on two more free-throws for good measure, and helped Concordia seal their 68-61 victory.
The final leg of CUC's stretch of road games is Wednesday, Jan. 18, when the team travels to Aurora University. Tip-off is at 7 p.m., and coverage can be found at cucougars.com, as well as the team's Twitter, @CUCWbball.
