SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Basketball program enters the week of Thanksgiving hungry for a conference victory. In their one outing this past week, the ninth-ranked Bulldogs slipped up on the road, 102-87, in another GPAC shootout won in Sioux Center, Iowa, by Dordt. The result leaves Head Coach Ben Limback’s squad at 0-2 in league play (3-2 overall) heading into Tuesday night's home clash with Midland. Concordia will be playing at home for the fifth time in six November contests.
This Week
Tuesday, Nov. 26 vs. Midland (5-3, 1-2 GPAC), 7:45 p.m.
--104.9 Max Country | Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Friedrich Arena (Seward, Neb.)
By the numbers
· In terms of national rankings, Concordia reached another high-water mark during Limback’s 12-year tenure when it jumped to No. 9 in the NAIA coaches’ poll released on Nov. 13. The program had not been ranked in the NAIA top 10 since the beginning of the 2005-06 season when it checked in at No. 6 (NAIA D-II) at a time when the NAIA was split into two divisions. The highest ranking for the program on record was No. 2 during the 1994-95 and 1995-96 seasons that were presided over by Concordia Athletics Hall of Famer Grant Schmidt. The Bulldogs have cracked the NAIA top 25 for the fourth-straight season under Limback. It should be noted that there was not a postseason poll after the 2021-22 season when Concordia advanced to the NAIA national quarterfinals.
· Every GPAC team has played at least two conference games entering the Thanksgiving week. Only two teams have emerged without a loss: Northwestern (7-0, 3-0 GPAC) and Dordt (8-0, 2-0 GPAC). The Red Raiders have won each of their first three GPAC contests by margins of 17 points or more. Based on the early returns, Northwestern and Dordt are likely to make a jump in the new NAIA top 25 poll set for release on Wednesday. Because of their 0-2 start in GPAC play, the Bulldogs are likely to drop. Limback’s 2023-24 team also opened at 0-2 in the league before eventually sharing the GPAC regular season title with Hastings and Northwestern.
· The frustration at Dordt came on the defensive end for Concordia, which allowed the Defenders to shoot 62.5 percent in the first half and 54.5 percent overall in what amounted to a 102-87 defeat for the Bulldogs. Undefeated Dordt managed to overcome a 33-point, 11-rebound performance from Tristan Smith. The Defenders got strong outings from the likes of Lucas Lorenzen (30 points), Connor Millikan (25 points) and Luke Rankin (eight assists). Smith was joined in double figures by Brad Bennet (12), Noah Schutte (12) and Jaxon Stueve (10). Concordia shot 49.2 percent from the floor and made 15-of-19 attempts from the foul line. Dordt reached 100 points in a game for the third time this season.
· The Elizabeth, Colo., native Smith was named the GPAC Offensive Player of the Week following his career-high 34 points versus Morningside. Smith has now totaled 67 points over the past two games while taking his stardom to another level. As part of the game at Dordt, Smith became the 36th player in program history to reach 1,000 career points. In 84 career collegiate games, Smith has totaled 1,005 points, 514 rebounds, 123 assists, 88 blocked shots and 70 steals. Among GPAC players, Smith ranks third in rebounding (8.4) and fourth in scoring (21.0) this season. Smith averaged 18.0 points and 9.3 rebounds per game as a junior when he was named a First Team All-GPAC honoree. Tristan joined his brother Gage (1,355) in the program’s 1,000-point club.
· The combo of Smith and Noah Schutte in the frontcourt will be a pain for every Concordia opponent this season. The Laurel, Neb., native Schutte is in the midst of his ‘COVID season’ after earning NAIA Third Team All-America status in 2023-24. Schutte will soon be chasing down 2,000 career points. On the program’s all-time lists, Schutte ranks fifth in scoring (1,903) and sixth in rebounds (753) while playing in 120 games. Schutte averaged at least 20 points per game in both 2022-23 and 2023-24 and may be a GPAC Player of the Year candidate along with Tristan Smith.
· The focus this week will undoubtedly center upon shoring up the team’s defensive play. Through five games, the Bulldogs are allowing their opponents to shoot 48.3 percent from the floor. Both Morningside (.571) and Dordt (.545) shot well above 50 percent in Concordia’s first two GPAC outings. The Bulldogs’ best defensive performance came at the Cattle Classic when they defeated Nebraska Wesleyan University, 74-57, and limited the Prairie Wolves to 34.4 percent shooting. As a comparison, the 2023-24 Concordia squad held opponents to 78.8 points per game and 45.6 percent shooting. Because of the Bulldogs’ preference for up-tempo basketball, high scoring contests are the norm.
Concordia Projected Starting Five
G – Brad Bennett, 6-1 (9.6)
G – Jaxon Stueve, 6-4 (6.4)
F – Lukas Helms, 6-6 (5.8)
F – Noah Schutte, 6-4 (15.6)
F – Tristan Smith, 6-5 (21.0)
The opponent
Midland has started 5-3 (1-2 GPAC) in year three under Head Coach Tyler Erwin. In GPAC play, the Warriors defeated Briar Cliff at home, 86-76, before falling to Mount Marty, 81-71, and on the road at the hands of No. 12 Northwestern, 105-78. The Midland roster is headlined by returning Honorable Mention All-GPAC guard Jake Orr, who is averaging 17.0 points per game while shooting 48.5 percent from the floor. Erwin’s program said goodbye to First Team All-GPAC guard Derek Merwick, who transferred to NCAA Division II Northern Michigan University. The current Warrior team is averaging 85.8 points per game while shooting 50.9 percent and is allowing 77.4 points and 45.3 percent shooting. Concordia has won each of the past 11 meetings with Midland, but the 2023-24 regular season finale was a nail-biter won by the Bulldogs in overtime, 90-84, inside Friedrich Arena.
Midland Projected Starting Five
G – Luke Gdowski, 6-2 (11.0)
G – Ryan Larsen, 6-3 (12.3)
G – Trey McCain, 6-0 (10.8)
G – Jake Orr, 6-2 (17.0)
F – Jeff Rozelle III, 6-6 (11.3)
Next week
Two league games will be played the week after Thanksgiving as the Bulldogs look ahead to playing at Morningside on Dec. 4 before then hosting Briar Cliff on Dec. 7. Concordia will be taking on Morningside for the second time in a period of less than three weeks.