RIVER FOREST, ILL. – The Concordia University Chicago women's basketball team (1-12, 0-6 NACC) fell to the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) Raiders (8-6, 4-1 NACC) in a tight battle. Despite both teams sparking runs, struggling defense would allow the Raiders to sneak away with the victory.
INSIDE THE BOX
- Sydney Nimsakont (Glendale Heights, Ill.) picked up 16 points on the day while adding in two steals, one block, and one rebound.
- Khaliah Reid (Naperville, Ill.) also collected 16 points on the day while adding in two rebounds and two assists.
- Alisyn MacGregor (Loves Park, Ill.) worked the defensive side while picking up seven rebounds and one steal.
- Mikalah Ellis (Chicago, Ill.) had an all-around performance securing 13 points, six rebounds, three steals, and two blocks.
HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST QUARTER
The Cougars struck first after winning the tip, and an early jumper from Ellis would put the Cougars up 2-0. Following a MSOE turnover, Reid would find her way to the basket and draw a foul where one free throw would put the Cougars up 3-0. After the Raiders hit their first shot, a block from Nimsakont with a rebound from
Hannah Lopez (Chicago, Ill.) turned to a fast layup for Ellis. After getting a stop on the defensive end, a triple from Ellis would put the Cougars up by six with six to play in the quarter.
With the Raiders answering back with a triple of their own, the Cougars answered back with layups from Reid and Nimsakont and a three from Reid to put them ahead by seven.
SECOND QUARTER
Ellis would start things off in the second quarter once again with a three and extending the CUC lead out to eight. As the Cougars got cold, the Raiders picked up the pace and went on a 10-0 run to steal the lead. A jumper just outside the paint from
Linley Southern (Decatur, Ill.) would break the CUC drought, but with three and a half minutes remaining the Raiders would be the only ones to score and jump ahead by four heading into the half.
THIRD QUARTER
Keeping the trend of the game the same, Ellis would kickstart things in the second half with a jumper in the paint off the feed from Reid. The Raiders would answer back quickly and erase the progress the Cougars had made and go up by an additional bucket, but a three at the hands of Nimsakont would cut their deficit in half.
With six minutes to play in the quarter, the Cougars would earn half of their points from the free throw line while they continued to struggle on the defensive end. Unable to get consecutive defensive stops, the Raiders would jump out to as much as a 12 point lead before a closing triple from Nimsakont would cut their deficit down to nine heading into the final ten minutes.
FOURTH QUARTER
With momentum in favor of the Raiders, they would score first in the final quarter, but a pair of free throws from Reid would counter their early bucket. Four quick retaliation points from the Raiders would put the Cougars behind by 13, but a jumper in the paint and a three from the corner off the hands of Reid would cut things back down to single-digits. With the Raiders keeping up their full court pressure, a three from Lopez would put things within reach for the Cougars.
After one free throw from Reid would bring CUC within seven, a pair of six consecutive free throws for the Raiders as the Cougars were unable to find an answer would close the game with a 63-50 score in favor of the Raiders.
The Cougars will host the Wisconsin Lutheran College Warriors on Saturday, January 18
th at 2:00pm. The team is currently holding a clothing drive to collect new or gently used clothes to send to families impacted by the California wildfires and donations will be accepted through the next two games. Coverage for this game and CUC women's basketball games can be found at cucougars.com/coverage.
