SEWARD, Neb. – The third of four home games to open the 2024-25 Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Basketball season is on tap for this Saturday. After sweeping a pair of games at the 25th annual Cattle Classic, the Bulldogs are preparing to host Bethel College, a member of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference. Tipoff on Saturday is set for 1 p.m. CT from Friedrich Arena.
This Week
Saturday, Nov. 9 vs. Bethel College (Kan.) (4-0), 1 p.m.
--104.9 Max Country | Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Friedrich Arena (Seward, Neb.)
By the numbers
· Head Coach Ben Limback’s squad is attempting to back up the high expectations that were placed upon it in the preseason. In the preseason polls, Concordia landed at No. 1 in the GPAC and at No. 11 in the NAIA. Never before have the Bulldogs opened a campaign as the favorite in the GPAC. In addition, the No. 11 national ranking marks the highest for the program in nearly 20 years (and represents its top ranking during the era of one division of NAIA basketball). Concordia has returned all five starters and each of its top nine scorers from the 2023-24 team that finished at 24-8 overall, shared the GPAC regular season title and reached the NAIA national round of 32.
· The weekend at the Cattle Classic saw the Bulldogs earn wins over two NCAA Division III opponents, Central College (Iowa), 86-69, and Nebraska Wesleyan University, 74-57. In both outings, the Bulldogs used significant second half runs to pull away – 13-0 versus Central and 17-3 versus Nebraska Wesleyan. Each of Concordia’s returning All-GPAC players averaged in double figures in scoring for the weekend: Noah Schutte (16.0), Tristan Smith (12.0) and Brad Bennett (10.0). A senior from Elizabeth, Colo., Smith ‘wowed’ the crowd on both nights with highlight reel dunks and spin moves. As a team, the Bulldogs outshot their two opponents, 46.4 percent to 41.3 percent, and enjoyed a big advantage from 3-point range (20-for-56 compared to 7-for-44).
· The biggest recruiting win for Concordia during the offseason occurred when Schutte decided to use his COVID exemption and return in 2024-25. Named an NAIA Third Team All-American last season, Schutte has piled up career totals of 1,859 points, 739 rebounds, 198 assists and 78 steals in 117 career collegiate games. On the program’s all-time lists, Schutte currently ranks fifth in scoring and sixth in rebounds. Schutte enters this season having averaged 20.0+ points in back-to-back seasons (20.1 in 2022-23 and 20.9 in 2023-24).
· The dynamic Tristan Smith will soon join Schutte in the program’s 1,000-points club. Following the weekend, Smith has tallied 924 points, 485 rebounds, 85 blocked shots and 67 steals in 81 career collegiate games. Smith was named a First Team All-GPAC selection in 2023-24 after he averaged 18.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.2 steals per game in his junior season. Another key senior on the roster, Bennett has totaled 689 points while shooting 40.0 percent (132-for-330) from 3-point range in his career.
· The starting five to open 2024-25 is exactly the same as the one Limback used down the stretch of the 2023-24 campaign. It includes Bennett, Schutte and Smith in addition to sophomores Lukas Helms and Jaxon Stueve. Limback and his staff are excited about the potential of the sophomore group, which also features Hayden Frank, Tyler Harre, Brooks Kissinger and Brandt Van Dyke. The depth is a strength for this team. Sixteen players saw action in both Cattle Classic games.
· This is year No. 12 for Limback at the helm of his alma mater. Counting his nine seasons as head coach at Concordia University, Ann Arbor, Limback has amassed 323 career coaching victories (206 at CUNE). Since the start of the 2019-20 season, Limback has guided the Bulldogs to a combined four GPAC championships (two regular season and two tournaments) and four national tournament appearances. Limback is a 1999 CUNE grad and was the 1998-99 NIAC Player of the Year.
The opponent
Concordia and Bethel are set to meet up for the first time since the 2014-15 season. The Threshers won that matchup by a 67-65 score in Newton, Kan. Bethel has opened 2024-25 with a 4-0 record that includes wins over Briar Cliff, 89-72, Barclay College (Kan.), 103-56, Wayland Baptist University (Texas), 84-77, and Northern New Mexico, 77-69. Head Coach Jayson Artaz’s program is coming off a 15-14 mark in 2023-24. Through four games this season, Bethel is averaging 88.3 points per game behind four double-figure scorers. Junior guard Carmelo Yakubu leads the way with an average of 17.3 points per outing. Before heading to Seward this weekend, the Threshers will host Oklahoma City University on Wednesday.
Next week
Conference play will get started on Saturday, Nov. 16 when Morningside makes a visit to Friedrich Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 3:45 p.m. CT on that date.