SEWARD, Neb. – As the New Year arrives, the Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Basketball team prepares itself for a return to conference action. As part of this week’s slate, the Bulldogs will be headed to the Corn Palace in Mitchell, S.D., on Thursday before coming back home to host No. 11 Dordt on Saturday. The two opponents are a combined 24-3 on the season. Head Coach Ben Limback’s squad pushed its overall mark to 9-4 after this past Saturday's 89-55 rout of MidAmerica Nazarene University (Kan.). Concordia has played three nonconference games since winning at Waldorf in its most recent GPAC contest.
This Week
Thursday, Jan. 2 at Dakota Wesleyan (11-3, 4-2 GPAC), 7:45 p.m.
--104.9 Max Country | Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Corn Palace (Mitchell, S.D.)
Saturday, Jan. 4 vs. No. 11 Dordt (14-0, 6-0 GPAC), 3:45 p.m.
--104.9 Max Country | Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Friedrich Arena (Seward, Neb.)
By the numbers
· Concordia and the rest of the GPAC took a break from conference play during the Christmas season. The schedule allowed the Bulldogs to make a trip to Arizona for two contests prior to Christmas. Concordia owns a three-game GPAC win streak and currently resides in fifth place in the league standings with a 4-3 conference record. It is looking up at the likes of Dordt (14-0, 6-0 GPAC), Northwestern (14-0, 6-0 GPAC), Morningside (12-3, 6-2 GPAC) and Dakota Wesleyan (10-3, 4-2 GPAC). From a national perspective, the most recent NAIA coaches’ poll was released on Dec. 11 and includes three GPAC squads amongst the top 25: No. 7 Northwestern, No. 11 Dordt and No. 14 Morningside. Northwestern and Dordt are two of the three remaining unbeaten teams in the NAIA (along with Freed-Hardeman University out of Tennessee). The next NAIA RPI rating will be unveiled on Jan. 6.
· The Bulldogs wrapped up 2024 in dominant fashion in blowing out 2024 NAIA national qualifier MidAmerica Nazarene, 89-55. A 16-0 run in the first half opened up a 36-17 lead and gave Concordia breathing room throughout the afternoon. The Bulldogs shot 60.4 percent (32-for-53) compared to 30.9 percent (21-for-68) shooting by the Pioneers (5-9). Five Concordia players scored in the 10-12 point range: Brad Bennett (12), Noah Schutte (12), Jaxon Stueve (11), Logan Wilson (11) and Tristan Smith (10). Bennett went 4-for-5 from long range and Wilson came off the bench to drain all four of his shot attempts (three from the perimeter). On the defensive end, Stueve swiped four steals. Of the 32 Bulldog field goals, 24 were assisted (team-high five assists for Smith). The only negative for Concordia were the 18 offensive rebounds it allowed.
· The Laurel-Concord-Coleridge High School alum Schutte is on the verge of becoming the program’s all-time leading scorer. His career point total stands at 2,055 following last week’s home win. Currently situated at No. 2 on the school’s career scoring list, Schutte needs 45 more points to pass former All-American Jon Ziegler (2,099) for the top spot. Schutte reached 2,000 points as part of the victory at Waldorf on Dec. 14. Ziegler, Schutte and Tom Raabe (2,016) are the only three Bulldogs to hit that lofty plateau. Ziegler played during the 2003-04 through 2006-07 seasons and Raabe played from 1967-68 through 1970-71 (prior to the introduction of the 3-point arc). For comparison’s sake, Ziegler played in 128 career games, Raabe played in 101 contests (started all of them) and Schutte reached 2,000 points in game No. 125. In his Bulldog career, Schutte has also totaled 823 rebounds, 230 assists and 87 steals. Schutte was named an NAIA All-American in both 2023 (honorable mention) and 2024 (third team). On the program’s all-time rebound list, Schutte ranks behind only Matt List (928), Gage Smith (899) and Chandler Folkerts (868).
· Not surprisingly, Smith (19.1), Schutte (17.5) and Bennett (10.7) have been the team’s go-to scorers through the season’s first 13 games. That veteran trio has combined for 4,011 career points – Schutte (2,055), Smith (1,148) and Bennett (808). The Elizabeth, Colo., native Smith continues to climb the program’s all-time lists. He now ranks eighth in blocked shots (96), 15th in rebounds (564) and 29th in scoring. Smith has raised his game another level as a senior and currently sports GPAC rankings of second in field goal percentage (.669), fourth in blocks (1.2), fifth in steals (2.1), sixth in assists (3.7), seventh in scoring (19.1) and eighth in rebounding (7.1). As for Bennett, his 31 treys rank fifth most among GPAC players.
· Friedrich Arena has been good to the Bulldogs. They are now 7-1 at home and are averaging 87.9 points and allowing 73.6 points in those eight contests. The shooting percentages at home have also been impressive with Concordia shooting 50.2 percent from the floor and 40.0 percent from 3-point range inside Friedrich Arena. Dating back to late in the 2020-21 season, the Bulldogs have won 50 of their last 55 home games. That stretch included a 23-game home win streak.
· Concordia remains in search of a signature win. So far this season, the Bulldogs have played two games against teams that were ranked at the time of tipoff. Concordia fell by an 82-69 score at No. 23 Morningside on Dec. 4 and lost at No. 4 Arizona Christian University, 73-65, on Dec. 20. The Bulldogs will get another crack at a ranked opponent when No. 11 Dordt visits Seward on Saturday. During last season’s run to the national tournament, Concordia defeated three top 25 foes (at the time games were played): No. 19 Olivet Nazarene University (Ill.), No. 19 Morningside and No. 12 Northwestern.
Concordia Projected Starting Five
G – Brad Bennett, 6-1 (10.7)
G – Hayden Frank, 6-2 (7.7)
G – Jaxon Stueve, 6-4 (8.1)
F – Noah Schutte, 6-4 (17.5)
F – Tristan Smith, 6-5 (19.1)
The opponents
At 11-3 (4-2 GPAC), Dakota Wesleyan is closing in on its win total from 2023-24 when it went 14-15 overall (9-11 GPAC) in what wound up being the final season of former head coach Matt Wilber’s tenure. The Tigers replaced Wilber with Kevin Williamson, who previously spent five seasons leading the program at the University of Saint Katherine. Williamson brought with him an impact transfer from Saint Katherine in senior guard Tampa Scott IV, who ranks second on the team in scoring (12.4). The starting lineup also features top scorer Samuel Aslesen (16.1), returning Second Team All-GPAC guard Jakob Dobney and last season’s GPAC Freshman of the Year, Randy Rosenquist Jr. Within league play, DWU has beaten Doane, Briar Cliff, Hastings and Midland. The Tigers are coming off a 78-69 Sunday victory over former GPAC member Jamestown. The Tigers rank No. 1 in the GPAC in scoring defense (66.6) and are No. 3 in the league in field goal percentage defense (.447). Concordia won both of last season’s meetings with DWU and has won four of the past five series matchups.
Dakota Wesleyan Projected Starting Five
G – Jakob Dobney, 6-0 (9.4)
G – Randy Rosenquist Jr, 6-0 (12.2)
G – Tampa Scott IV, 5-10 (12.4)
F – Samuel Aslesen, 6-7 (16.1)
F – Blaze Lubbers, 6-3 (8.8)
Entering the week, Dordt is one of three remaining unbeaten teams in the NAIA. The Defenders (14-0, 6-0 GPAC) have enjoyed an extended break in the action since routing Hastings, 99-68, on Dec. 14. Before heading to Seward, Dordt will host Doane on Thursday. Like Concordia, the Defenders have a lot of familiarity within the program. The starting lineup includes three seniors, one junior and a sophomore. Junior guard Lucas Lorenzen leads the GPAC and ranks No. 3 nationally with an average of 24.0 points per game. Head Coach Brian Van Haaften’s squad likes to play fast, as evidenced by its scoring average of 93.9 on the strength of 54.8 percent shooting. The show is run by national assists leader Luke Rankin, who drops 8.9 dimes per game. Dordt won this season’s first meeting with Concordia, 102-87, in Sioux Center while shooting a blistering 54.5 percent. The Defenders have hit the century mark five times and have reached at least 90 points in nine games this season. Dordt has made a jump in 2024-25 after finishing 2023-24 at 19-11 overall following a loss in the first round of the national tournament.
Dordt Projected Starting Five
G – Bryce Coppock, 5-11 (14.9)
G – Lucas Lorenzen, 6-4 (24.0)
G – Connor Millikan, 6-0 (11.1)
G – Luke Rankin, 5-10 (8.0)
F – Ben Fairclough, 6-8 (7.3)
Next week
GPAC play will continue with road trips to Doane on Jan. 8 and to Briar Cliff on Jan. 11. The Bulldogs and Tigers are set to meet for the first time this season while Concordia will aim for a regular season sweep of the Chargers, an opponent it defeated by a score of 87-74 on Dec. 7.