SEWARD, Neb. – At least on paper, this may be the most challenging week of the entire season for the Concordia University men’s basketball team. The Bulldogs will head to third-ranked Morningside on Wednesday before hosting No. 17 Dakota Wesleyan on Saturday in their 2018-19 home finale. Concordia will attempt to rebound from a 79-64 loss at Northwestern over the weekend.
This Week
Wednesday, Feb. 6 at No. 3 Morningside (22-1, 15-1), 8 p.m.
-Webcast: YouTube
-Radio: 104.9 Max Country
Saturday, Feb. 9 vs. No. 17 Dakota Wesleyan (17-7, 10-6), 4 p.m.
-Webcast: Concordia Sports Network
-Radio: 104.9 Max Country
Sixth-year head coach Ben Limback’s squad will want to bottle up the type of performances it has put together at home in recent weeks. The 72-69 win over Dordt on Jan. 30 extended its home win streak to four. Over that run, the Bulldogs have beaten three GPAC opponents by double digit margins with triumphs over then No. 7 Briar Cliff, 102-92, Midland, 66-51, and Doane, 70-53. Unfortunately, that success hasn’t carried over on the road. Within conference play, Concordia is 5-4 at home and 1-7 on the road.
In order to win in the GPAC, the Bulldogs have to have offensive production from the duo of Brevin Sloup and Tanner Shuck, who combine to average 30.9 points per game. Sloup has been carrying a hefty load of late. He poured in more than 20 points in three-straight outings leading up to the clash at Northwestern. The Seward High School has become one of the league’s more entertaining playmakers with his ability to score in a variety of ways. Among GPAC players, Sloup ranks first in free throw percentage (.871), sixth in assists per game (3.37), eighth in 3-point field goal percentage (.415) and ninth in scoring (16.9). Only one player in the GPAC has knocked down more treys than Sloup’s 78.
Shuck and Sloup also need help from the team’s role players. Transfer Chuol Biel has played his role exceptionally well as the team’s top low post defender. He has blocked at least one shot in 12-straight games. Meanwhile, freshmen starting guards Carter Kent and Justin Wiersema have shown plenty of promise. Wiersema’s insertion into the starting lineup has played a role in the team’s improved play in the second half of the season. Kent is the team’s third leading scorer at 9.5 points per game.
In the first matchup with Morningside, Concordia trailed by 13 points early in the second half but eventually rallied back to get within four in the final two minutes before the Mustangs held on for a 77-70 win in Seward. Morningside has the look of a team capable of competing for a national title. It leads the GPAC in both scoring defense (67.6) and field goal percentage defense (.429). Tyler Borchers is a handful in the post. He is averaging 15.3 points while shooting 71.1 percent from the floor. He helps open things up on the perimeter. The Mustangs shoot 39.2 percent from 3-point range.
The Bulldogs suffered their worst loss of the season at the hands of Dakota Wesleyan, 105-56, inside the Corn Palace back on Dec. 15. The Tigers are the only team this season to have knocked off Morningside. Even with that win on the résumé, Dakota Wesleyan can’t afford to slip up if it is to earn a bid to the national tournament. Head coach Matt Wilber’s squad can fill it up. Led by NAIA Division II’s fifth-ranked scorer in Ty Hoglund (26.5 ppg), the Tigers average more than 12 3-point field goals per game. Dakota Wesleyan has reached the national tournament four years running.
Projected lineups
(Scoring average in parentheses)
Concordia (14-13, 6-11 GPAC)
G – Brevin Sloup, Jr., 5-9 (16.9)
G – Carter Kent, Fr., 6-2 (9.5)
G – Tanner Shuck, Jr., 6-4 (14.0)
G – Justin Wiersema, Fr., 6-3 (5.9)
F – Chuol Biel, Jr., 6-8 (7.0)
Morningside (22-1, 15-1 GPAC)
G – Alex Borchers, Jr., 5-10 (8.7)
G – Brody Egger, Sr., 6-2 (12.2)
G – Zach Imig, So., 6-3 (12.4)
F – Matt Hahn, Jr., 6-3 (11.7)
C – Tyler Borchers, Jr., 6-7 (15.3)
Dakota Wesleyan (17-7, 10-6 GPAC)
G – Aaron Ahmadu, Sr., 5-10 (9.0)
G – Nick Harden, So., 5-10 (18.1)
G – Ty Hoglund, Jr., 6-3 (26.5)
F – Collin Kramer, Jr., 6-7 (7.0)
F – Samuel McCloud, Jr., 6-8 (9.9)