Strong Second Half Propels Bulldogs to Win

Photos Courtesy of Lyric Allen

By Graham Friske

The No 3 Concordia Bulldogs (14-1 GPAC) defeated the No 17 Northwestern Red Raiders (7-8 GPAC) by a score of 91-76. 

Concordia entered the contest coming off its seventh consecutive Concordia Invitational Tournament in Chicago this past weekend.

Midway through the first quarter, a scram for a loose ball at midcourt left Riley Sibbel with a nosebleed. Officials called a loose-ball foul on Northwestern, which drew a heated response out of head coach Chris Yaw. Sibbel would return halfway through the second quarter.

At the end of the first quarter, Northwestern led Concordia 20-17. However, Concordia was able to take the lead early in the second quarter and finished the first half up 39-37. From then on, the Bulldogs manufactured a double digit lead quickly in the third quarter and never looked back. Concordia had a hard time stopping Sammy Blum of Northwestern, as she scored 19 points in the first half. However halftime adjustments by head coach Drew Olson held the Red Raider’s top scorer to just 6 points after the break.

Reining NAIA and CIT MVP Grace Berry put on a show in the first half. She recorded 10 points and two creative assists. She would finish with 17 points and 9 assists.

Concordia struggled to hit from beyond the arch in the first half, sinking only 3 of 11. Meanwhile, Northwestern connected on 7 of their 13 shots attempted.

A different story for the Bulldogs in the second half as they went 8-13 in the second half. Concoridia got a big push from MacKenzie Helman and Mackenzie Koepke who contributed 8 of Bulldog’s 11 3-pointers.

The Bulldogs still sit in second place in the GPAC standings after the game, thanks to a comeback victory for the No. 2 Hastings Broncos against No. 7 Morningside College. The final score of that overtime finish was 85-80.

 The Bulldogs will have their hands full when they travel to Mitchell, South Dakota to face the No 12 Dakota Wesleyan Tigers (9-6 GPAC). 

The Northwestern Red Raiders will travel to Hastings on Saturday to take on the undefeated No. 2 Hastings Broncos (15-0 GPAC).