SEWARD, Neb. – Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Basketball has hit the halfway point of the conference regular season slate. The second half will begin with the Bulldogs hosting Hastings on Wednesday, leading into a Sunday matinee at the Corn Palace. In this past week’s action, Concordia dropped a shootout at Morningside before winning a home slugfest with Briar Cliff. The results leave Head Coach Ben Limback’s squad at 13-5 overall (7-3 GPAC). The Bulldogs reside in second place in the GPAC standings with 10 games remaining in the regular season.
This Week
Wednesday, Jan. 14 vs. Hastings (4-14, 3-7 GPAC), 7:45 p.m.
--104.9 Max Country | Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Friedrich Arena (Seward, Neb.)
Sunday, Jan. 18 at Dakota Wesleyan (9-9, 4-6 GPAC), 3:45 p.m.
--104.9 Max Country | Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Corn Palace (Mitchell, S.D.)
By the numbers
· The NAIA releases a fresh ratings percentage index (RPI) each Monday. In the edition that dropped on Jan. 12, Concordia landed at No. 34 with a strength of schedule rated 62nd in the NAIA. The five highest rated GPAC teams in the RPI are No. 33 Morningside, No. 34 Concordia, No. 42 Northwestern, No. 80 Briar Cliff and No. 98 Dordt. As for this week’s Bulldog opponents, Hastings is No. 172 (SOS of 80) and Dakota Wesleyan is No. 120 (SOS of 154). A new NAIA coaches’ poll is slated to be unveiled on Wednesday. Concordia cracked the NAIA top 25 poll at No. 24 on Nov. 26 before dropping out in the lone coaches’ poll released in December.
· In one of the more entertaining GPAC games so far this season, both Concordia and Morningside shot 55 percent or better from the field in the shootout that took place in Sioux City, Iowa, on Jan. 7. The Mustangs outgunned the Bulldogs, 91-87, while continuing to have Concordia’s number. Morningside overcame a game-high 29 points from Brooks Kissinger and 18 points from Jaxon Stueve. Concordia owned a lead with just over a minute to play in the battle between the top two teams in the GPAC standings. Three days later, the Bulldogs returned to Friedrich Arena and held off Briar Cliff, 72-64, in a much different style of game. Concordia limited the Chargers to 39.0 percent (23-for-59) shooting and benefited from a plus-eight turnover margin. Kissinger notched 19 points and was joined in double figures by four teammates: Jacob Duitsman (13), Zac Kulus (11), Stueve (11) and Dane Jacobsen (10).
· A four-time GPAC Player of the Week in 2025-26, Kissinger has remained remarkably consistent from game-to-game. Since Nov. 1, the Ashland, Neb., native been held to fewer than 17 points only once. Through 17 games, Kissinger is averaging 20.9 points while shooting 60.6 percent from the field and 37.1 percent from 3-point range. Among GPAC players, Kissinger ranks third in scoring average (20.9), fourth in field goal percentage (.606) and fifth in rebounds per game (6.6). In 82 career games as a Bulldog, Kissinger has compiled 719 points, 247 rebounds and 117 assists. Kissinger joined the Bulldog Coaches Show on 104.9 Max Country last week. Audio from that show can be heard HERE.
· It’s been rare for this Concordia team to be at full strength at any point this season. Three players have started all 18 games: Dane Jacobsen, Jaxon Stueve and Logan Wilson. Kissinger missed the season opener with a hand injury, Hayden Frank was sidelined for eight games with a knee injury and Tate Odvody has sat out five straight due to a bum ankle. Senior Zac Kulus has stepped in to start nine games. A Concordia Omaha High School product, Kulus has enjoyed a solid Bulldog career. He’s a career 42.0 percent shooter from 3-point range (129-for-307).
· Several starters are frequently relied upon for 30-plus minutes, but there are key role players who are contributing to another strong season. Lincoln Lutheran’s all-time leading scorer, Jacob Duitsman posted 13 points and three steals in the win over Briar Cliff. He also notched 11 points in the recent home win over No. 17 Northwestern. Two other freshmen saw action versus Briar Cliff. Garret Johnson swiped three steals and big man Peyton Brown drained a trey. From a minutes perspective, the team leaders are Jacobsen (31.4), Stueve (30.2) and Kissinger (29.5).
· Among GPAC squads, Concordia sports team rankings of first in field goal percentage defense (.456), first in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.324), second in scoring defense (74.7), third in scoring offense (84.7), fourth in field goal percentage offense (.507), fourth in 3-point field goal percentage offense (.383), seventh in rebound margin (-0.1) and seventh in free throw percentage (.709). The Bulldogs continue to rank No. 2 in the conference in terms of net efficiency. Despite having five league losses, Northwestern leads the GPAC in net efficiency. On another note, Concordia is now 7-0 at home this season and is 86-10 at home since the start of the 2019-20 season.
· Morningside has won nine straight GPAC games since opening conference play with a loss at Midland. The Mustangs own a two-game lead over Concordia atop the league standings. After Morningside (9-1) and Concordia (7-3), seven teams have either four, five or six GPAC defeats: Briar Cliff (6-4), Mount Marty (6-5), Northwestern (5-5), Dordt (5-5), Midland (5-5), Doane (4-6) and Dakota Wesleyan (4-6). Morningside will be at Dordt in its only game of this week.
Concordia Projected Starting Five
G – Dane Jacobsen, 6-3 (12.7)
G – Brooks Kissinger, 6-3 (20.9)
G – Zac Kulus, 6-0 (10.1)
G – Jaxon Stueve, 6-4 (12.2)
F – Logan Wilson, 6-7 (7.2)
Head Coach Ben Limback, 13th season (245-146 at CUNE)
The opponents
Concordia got a live look at Hastings earlier this season when the Broncos participated in the Cattle Classic and went 1-1 with a win over Oklahoma City University at the event. Since then, Hastings’ wins have come against Doane, Dordt and Waldorf. Head Coach Todd Raridon’s backcourt features two 2024-25 Honorable Mention All-GPAC selections in Maverick Binder and DaRon Hall. A senior from Glendale Heights, Ill., Hall is averaging a team-high 18.2 points per game. Under Raridon, the Broncos’ best season came in 2023-24 when they won GPAC regular season and tournament titles and qualified for the national tournament. A starter for the first 17 games this season, guard Ben Boudreau did not play in this past Saturday’s 80-71 home loss to Morningside. As a team, Hastings is averaging 74.2 points per game while shooting 45.6 percent from the field. Opponents are averaging 82.6 points to go along with 51.0 percent shooting. The Bulldogs defeated the Broncos in both of last season’s meetings.
Hastings Projected Starting Five
G – Maverick Binder, 6-0 (12.1)
G – DaRon Hall, 5-10 (18.2)
F – Cameron Coraggio, 6-3 (3.0)
F – Micah Hinrichs, 6-4 (11.9)
F – Myles Simon, 6-3 (5.7)
Head Coach: Todd Raridon, 4th season
This past offseason, Sam Nicholson was elevated from an assistant to head coach. Nicholson replaced Kevin Williamson, now the head coach at Dakota State University. Dakota Wesleyan is coming off a 2024-25 season that concluded with a 20-10 overall record (13-7 GPAC) and a loss in the first round of the national tournament. Picked seventh in the GPAC preseason coaches’ poll, the Tigers returned Honorable Mention All-GPAC guard Randy Rosenquist Jr., who is averaging a team high 13.5 points per game. The starting five includes four holdovers and freshman guard Easton Neuendorf, the team’s third leading scorer (14.1) behind Rosenquist Jr. and Anthony Riggans (13.1). DWU notched its fourth GPAC win this past Saturday when it defeated in-state rival Mount Marty, 83-76, inside the Corn Palace. The team’s three other conference wins have come against Hastings and Midland (twice). As a team, the Tigers are averaging 75.3 points per game while shooting 44.1 percent from the field. Their opponents are averaging 75.4 points while shooting 50.3 percent. Concordia has won each of the previous five matchups with DWU. Back on Dec. 6, the Bulldogs pummeled the Tigers, 103-71, in Seward.
Dakota Wesleyan Projected Starting Five
G – Easton Neuendorf, 5-11 (13.0)
G – Randy Rosenquist Jr., 6-0 (13.5)
G – Tyson Stevenson, 6-2 (11.9)
F – Steele Morgan, 6-4 (12.6)
F – Anthony Riggans, 6-5 (13.1)
Head Coach: Sam Nicholson, 1st season
Up next
A five-game stretch featuring four home games will conclude next week as the Bulldogs host Midland on Jan. 21 and Dordt on Jan. 24. Concordia will be looking to avenge road losses earlier this season to both opponents.