MADISON, WIS. – The Concordia University Chicago women's basketball team headed up to Wisconsin to take on the tied for first team in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference, the Edgewood College Eagles. Despite a tough battle, the Cougars would fall to the Eagles 63-46.
Inside the Box
- Cydnei Mitchell (Aurora, Ill.) led the pack for the Cougars with 12 points, four rebounds, and three assists.
- Abby Kulig (Carol Stream, Ill.) followed behind with nine points, five rebounds, and one assist.
- Alisyn MacGregor (Loves Park, Ill.) led the defensive charge with 12 rebounds while also adding in four points, and one assist.
First Half
The Eagles won the tip and struck first, but the Cougars were able to answer quickly with a jumper from Mitchell to even things up. Two baskets from the Eagles would be answered with two baskets from the Cougars and the race to stay ahead would begin. A 5-0 run from the Eagles would put them up by six, but a three from
Jaylene Wade (Lansing, Ill.) would cut that in half.
A 5-0 run from the Cougars would give them their first lead of the day. A pair of free throws from
Nazuri Whigham (Naperville, Ill.) would kick-off the run while a steal from
Prentciss Gates (Gary, Ind.) would turn into a fastbreak jumper for Mitchell to bring the score within one. Back-to-back layups from MacGregor would give the Cougars the three-point advantage. A three from the Eagles would even the score, but
Melia Perry (Plainfield, Ill.) would answer with a three of her own to put the Cougars up 20-17 to close the first quarter.
The Eagles came out swinging in the second quarter after a 7-0 run left the Cougars trailing by four before a Mitchell jumper would end the run and bring the Cougars back within two. A scoring draught for both teams lasted for four and a half minutes before a jumper from Gates would bring even the score once again. After giving up an and-one to the Eagles, the Cougars trailed by three once again before Wade would drain a jumper from outside the elbow to bring the Cougars within one. A solo free throw from the Eagles would leave the Cougars trailing by two heading into the back half of the game.
Second Half
Continuing the same trend from the first half, the Cougars and Eagles exchanged baskets while keeping the score within a five point reach. Buckets from Kulig and Whigham would cut their deficit down to one. Another 7-0 run for the Eagles would bring their lead to the highest of the night thus far at eight before a Mitchell layup would turn momentum to the Cougars.
Struggling to get a stop against the furious Eagle offense, the Cougars would find themselves trailing by ten with only ten minutes to play.
Another monstrous run for the Eagles would be the early fourth quarter dagger that the Cougars would have to dig out of. With the Eagles outscoring the Cougars 15-1 in an eight minute span, the Cougars would find themselves down by 20 with under four minutes to play. A pair of free throws from Kulig followed by a three from Wade would start the climb back for the Cougars as time continued to tick away.
One last bucket from Mitchell would bring the score within 13, but a 4-0 to close the game for the Eagles would leave the Cougars behind by 17 when the final buzzer rang.
The Cougars fall to 5-15 overall with five games left to play in the regular season. Their next matchup will be this Saturday, February 3
rd, as they head to Milwaukee, Wis. to take on the Alverno Inferno. Coverage can be found at cucougars.com/coverage.
