2009-2010 - Basketball schedule/results

18-12 Overall, 12-6 GPAC | Season Statistics

OCTOBER
Cornerstone Classic:
Oct. 30	vs. York	York, Neb.	L 75-90
Oct. 31	vs. Peru State	York, Neb.	W 81-60
NOVEMBER
Nov. 5	Concordia Seminary	St. Louis, Mo.	W 86-55
Lindenwood Classic:
Nov. 6	vs. #22 Life University	St. Charles, Mo.	L 74-88
Nov. 7	vs. #1 Robert Morris	St. Charles, Mo.	W 75-71
Cattle Classic Tournament:
*Nov. 12*	vs. York College	*Seward, Neb.*	L 65-69
*Nov. 14*	vs. Hannibal-LaGrange	*Seward, Neb.*	W 77-69
Nov. 21	Mount Marty College*	Yankton, S.D.	W 68-66 OT
Nov. 24	Midland Lutheran College*	Fremont, Neb.	W 72-53
DECEMBER
Dec. 2	Doane College*	Seward, Neb.	W 82-64
Dec. 5	Dakota Wesleyan University*	Mitchell, S.D.	L 64-78
Dec. 9	Hastings College*	Hastings, Neb.	L 61-71
Dec. 12	Northwestern College*	Seward, Neb.	W 117-111 (4 OT)
Tom Byron Classic
Dec. 29	vs. Westmont College	Santa Barbara, Calif.	L 66-86
Dec. 30	vs. Westminster College	Santa Barbara, Calif.	W 73-66
JANUARY
Jan. 7	Dana College*	Blair, Neb.	W 70-59
Jan. 9	Dordt College*	Sioux Center, Iowa	W 83-75
Jan. 13	Nebraska Wesleyan University*	Lincoln, Neb.	W 70-68
Jan. 16	Morningside College*	Seward, Neb.	W 75-73
Jan. 20	Midland Lutheran College*	Seward, Neb.	W 61-58
Jan 23	#5 Briar Cliff University*	Seward, Neb.	W 64-62
Jan. 27	Doane College*	Crete, Neb.	W 69-66
Concordia Invitational Tournament
Jan. 29	vs. Concordia University-Ann Arbor	Mequon, Wisc.	W 72-62
Jan. 30	vs. Concordia University-Wisconsin	Mequon, Wisc.	L 73-91
FEBRUARY
Feb. 3	Hastings College*	Seward, Neb.	L 75-89
Feb. 6	#11 Dakota Wesleyan University*	Seward, Neb.	L 63-73
Feb. 10	Dana College*	Seward, Neb.	L 77-84
Feb. 13	#16 University of Sioux Falls*	Sioux Falls, S.D.	L 63-73
Feb. 17	Nebraska Wesleyan University*	Seward, Neb.	W 71-57
GPAC Tournament:
Feb. 23	Briar Cliff University	Seward, Neb.	L 53-62

*Indicates Great Plains Athletic Conference Games

All Home Games in BOLD

2009-10 Roster

No.

Name

Pos.

Ht.

Yr.

Hometown

Previous School

Brandon Schmidt

6-1

Sr.

Seward, Neb.

Seward

Phil Friedrich

5-10

Fr.

Seward, Neb.

Seward

Tyler Byrd

6-0

So.

Bennington, Neb.

Bennington

Ryan Railey

6-2

So.

Woodland Park, Colo.

Woodland Park/NECC

Dustin Weber

6-3

Sr.

Pierce, Neb.

Pierce

Brady Borslien

6-4

Sr.

Crookston, Minn.

Crookston

Brian Evans

6-4

Jr.

Parker, Colo.

Chaparral

Evan Kucera

6-6

Fr.

Waverly, Neb.

Waverly

Brent Houchin

6-7

Fr.

Bruning, Neb.

Bruning-Davenport

Ryan Shrum

6-7

Jr.

Allen, Texas

Allen

Sam Huebner

6-6

Jr.

Aurora, Colo.

Smoky Hill

Porter Birtell

6-7

Fr.

Madison, Neb.

Lutheran High NE/Wayne State

Andy Banahan

6-8

Jr.

Steele City, Neb.

Fairbury

Dan Zobel

5-11

Jr.

Steelville, Ill.

Christ Our Savior Lutheran

Nathan Bacon

6-4

So.

Overton, Neb.

Overton

Gage Bender

5-10

Fr.

Creston, Neb.

Columbus Lakeview

Brady Firley

5-10

Fr.

Deshler, Neb.

Deshler

Charles Dunbar

5-10

Fr.

Florissant, Mo.

Lutheran North

Coaching Staff

Head Coach: Grant Schmidt

Assistant Coach: Anthony Elias

Graduate Assistant

Concordia selected eighth in GPAC season coaches' poll

14 OCT 2009

Concordia University was voted eighth in the 2009-10 Great Plains Athletic Conference men's basketball preseason coaches’ poll released Wednesday. The Bulldogs finished last season with an overall record of 20-12 and were sixth in the GPAC with a 10-8 record in conference play.

Dakota Wesleyan totaled 140 points and nine first-place votes and is the preseason pick to win the GPAC. The Tigers were 25-9 last season and finished in a tie for second in the league. Briar Cliff was voted second with 129 points and the final three first-place votes. GPAC postseason champion Sioux Falls was voted third with 110 points, Dordt was fourth with 106 points and last season’s regular season champion Morningside was fifth with 105 points and the final first-place vote.

Hastings was voted sixth with 101 points, Northwestern was seventh with 82 points and Concordia was eighth with 69 points. Nebraska Wesleyan (49) and Doane (43) rounded out the top 10. Mount Marty (39), Dana (26) and Midland Lutheran (16) were the final three teams in the poll.

Morningside, Briar Cliff, Dakota Wesleyan and Sioux Falls advanced to the NAIA National Tournament last year.

Bulldogs open season with 1-1 record at Cornerstone Classic

30-31 OCT 2009

York College 90, Concordia University 75

Concordia University 81, Peru State College 60

The Concordia University men’s basketball team opened the season with a 1-1 record at the York College Cornerstone Classic Tournament last weekend. Concordia suffered a 90-75 loss to York College on Friday. The Bulldogs bounced back for an 81-60 win over Peru State College on Saturday.

York College used solid shooting and a balanced scoring attack to earn the 15-point win over the Bulldogs. The host Panthers hit 31-of-65 shots in the game for 47.7 percent. Concordia struggled from the field and hit just 22-of-70 shots on the night for 31.4 percent. York held a slight 45-43 rebounding advantage, and the Panthers had 18 assists compared to 11 for the Bulldogs.

All five starters scored in double figures for the Panthers in the win. Corey Standerfer had a game-high 21 points to go along with nine boards to lead the way. Darren Best had 16 points and nine rebounds, Desmond Strickland had 12 points and five boards and Dee Ellison had 11 points to go along with six assists and five rebounds. Leonard Epps scored 10 points, and Justice Nall added 12 points and nine rebounds off the bench for York College.

Ryan Shrum had a team-high 18 points to lead the way for Concordia in the loss. Shrum went 5-of-13 overall from the field and hit 4-of-10 from the three point line. Porter Birtell added 14 points with a team-high eight rebounds, and Tyler Byrd had 12 points and a game-high seven assists. Evan Kucera delivered 10 points off the bench for the Bulldogs.

Concordia jumped out to a 36-18 halftime lead and cruised to the 81-60 win over Peru State. Five players scored in double figures, as the Bulldogs hit 24-of-51 shots in the game for 47.1 percent. Concordia also limited Peru State to 15-of-56 shooting on the night for 26.8 percent. The Bulldogs held a 41-26 rebounding advantage in the win.

Evan Kucera scored a game-high 22 points and added a game-high eight rebounds off the bench to lead the way for Concordia. Dustin Weber added 15 points and four steals, and Porter Birtell had 12 points and seven boards. Ryan Shrum and Sam Huebner also reached double figures with 10 points apiece for the Bulldogs.

Jovan Hitch had 14 points to lead Peru State College. Steven Burks scored 12 points and was the only other player to reach double figures for the Bobcats.

Concordia travels to Concordia Seminary on Thursday evening. The Bulldogs will take part in the Lindenwood Classic Tournament on Nov. 6 and 7.

Bulldogs suffer 88-74 loss to Life University in Lindenwood Classic

6 NOV 2009

Life University 88, Concordia University 74

Life University earned an 88-74 men’s basketball win over Concordia University in the Lindenwood Classic Tournament on Friday evening. Life improved to 2-0 on the season with the win, while Concordia slipped to 2-2 on the year with the loss.

Life jumped out to a quick 8-0 lead and controlled play for much of the first half. Life led by as many as 13 in the opening half, but Concordia closed the gap and trailed by just six at 35-29 at halftime.

The Running Eagles put another run together early in the second half to pull away from the Bulldogs. Life led by as many as 25 in the final half and settled for the 88-74 win.

Life University held a 32-28 advantage in point in the paint and a 29-20 advantage in points off turnovers. The Running Eagles also had 16 fast break points compared to just two for Concordia. Life hit 32-of-64 shots in the game for an even 50 percent. The Running Eagles hit 11-of-26 from the three point line and also connected on 13-of-15 free throw attempts in the game.

Concordia hit 23-of-52 shots for 44.2 percent. The Bulldogs went just 7-of-25 from the three point line and 21-of-31 at the free throw line in the loss.

Greg Brown had a game-high 26 points on 10-of-14 shooting from the field to lead Life University. Bryant Dunn, James Hooper and Ken Moore all had 13 points, and JaQuan Bray added 12 points for the Running Eagles.

Porter Birtell had a team-high 13 points to go along with six rebounds for Concordia in the loss. Ryan Shrum and Dustin Weber added 12 points apiece for the Bulldogs.

Concordia returns to action with a 6 p.m. contest against No. 1 Robert Morris University on Saturday.

Concordia upsets No. 1 Robert Morris 75-71 in Lindenwood Classic

7 NOV 2009

Concordia University 75, #1 Robert Morris 71 (view stats)

The Concordia University men’s basketball team picked up an impressive 75-71 victory over NAIA Division I No. 1 Robert Morris on Saturday evening. It was the first-ever win over a top-ranked team by a Concordia men's basketball team. The Bulldogs improved to 3-2 on the season with the win. The Eagles dropped to 1-3 with the loss.

Robert Morris held a 39-38 lead at halftime, but Concordia rallied in the second half for the win. The Eagles connected on 26-of-68 from the field on the night for 38.2 percent and made just 6-of-21 from the three point line and 13-of-21 from the free throw line. Concordia hit 25-of-62 shots on the evening for 40.3 percent. The Bulldogs were 4-of-13 from behind the three point line and 21-of-30 at the charity stripe.

Concordia’s Sam Huebner led the way with a double-double of 20 points and 11 boards. Dustin Weber added 18 points, five rebounds and a game-high three assists for the Bulldogs. Evan Kucera also chipped in with 12 points off the bench for Concordia.

Robert Eppinger had 21 points and 11 rebounds for Robert Morris in the loss. Robert Jones added 19 points, and Ricardo Laing delivered 17 points for the Eagles.

Concordia returns to action on Nov. 12-14 when they host the Cattle Classic Tournament in Seward.

Schmidt's 400th win highlights impressive weekend for Bulldogs

9 NOV 2009

Concordia University 86, Concordia Seminary 55 (view stats)

It was a big weekend for Grant Schmidt and the Concordia University men’s basketball team. The Bulldogs defeated Concordia Seminary by the score of 86-55 last Thursday evening for the 400th victory in the career of head coach Grant Schmidt. On Saturday, Concordia earned a 75-71 upset win over Robert Morris, the No. 1 ranked team in NAIA Division I.

Schmidt entered the season with a 398-234 career record. He has a .630 winning percentage, which ranks 13th in the NAIA top 25 winningest active coaches list. Schmidt is in his 20th year as head coach and has developed a strong basketball tradition at Concordia University.

“This is a credit to our players over the years,” said Schmidt. “You can’t get to 400 wins without great tradition and great kids. We’ve been blessed to have both of those things. This is dedicated to all the teams, players and coaches who have helped to make 400 wins possible.”

Evan Kucera and Porter Birtell led the way in the 86-55 win over Concordia Seminary. Kucera had 23 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks in the Bulldog win. Birtell added 16 points and seven boards. The duo combined to shoot 16-of-17 from the field in the Concordia win. Tyler Byrd added 14 points and four assists for the Bulldogs.

Coach Schmidt’s 401st win may have been even more exciting than his 400th. The Bulldogs knocked off top-ranked Robert Morris by the score of 75-71 on Saturday in the Lindenwood Classic Tournament. Robert Morris, a NAIA division I squad, went 27-4 in 2008-09 and made a trip to the Final Four for the fourth time in five years. The Eagles also recorded an exhibition victory over Northwestern University of the Big Ten Conference last year.

Sam Huebner had a double-double of 20 points and 11 rebounds to lead the way for Concordia in the win. Dustin Weber added 18 points, five rebounds and a game-high three assists, and Evan Kucera chipped in with 12 points for the Bulldogs.

Concordia (3-2) will take part in the Cattle Classic Tournament from Nov. 12-14. There will be a recognition and celebration of Coach Schmidt’s accomplishment before Concordia’s first home game against York College on Nov. 12.

Cold shooting costs Concordia in 69-65 loss to York College

12 NOV 2009

York College 69, Concordia University 65 (view stats)

York College rallied for a 69-65 men’s basketball win over Concordia in the opening game of the Cattle Classic Tournament on Thursday evening in Seward. York College improved to 3-3 on the season with the win, while Concordia dropped to 3-3 on the year with the loss.

York College jumped out quickly and led by as many as nine points on two separate occasions in the first half. However, the Bulldogs closed the gap and trailed by just four at 32-28 at halftime.

Concordia grabbed its first lead of the game early in the second half. The Bulldogs led by 10 at 54-44 with just over eight minutes remaining in the contest. The Panthers responded and reclaimed the lead at 60-58 with just over two minutes left to play. Concordia pulled within one at 64-63 in the final minute, but clutch free throw shooting sealed the 69-65 win for the visiting Panthers.

Concordia held a commanding 51-30 rebounding advantage in the contest including a 20-4 advantage in offensive rebounds. Poor shooting from the three point line and the free throw line cost the Bulldogs dearly in the loss. Concordia connected on 27-of-66 shots for 40.9 percent. However, the Bulldogs went just 8-of-23 from the free throw line and 3-of-17 from the three point line in the loss.

York College hit 27-of-59 shots in the game for 45.8 percent. The Panthers were 12-of-18 from the free throw line for 66.7 percent and 3-of-17 from the three point line.

Sam Huebner had a team-high 17 points to go along with nine rebounds and two blocked shots for Concordia. Tyler Byrd added 14 points and five assists, while Porter Birtell chipped in with 12 points and seven rebounds on 6-of-8 shooting from the field. Evan Kucera added nine points and 10 rebounds off the bench for the Bulldogs.

Corey Standerfer had a game-high 22 points for York College. Justice Nall added a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds, while Darren Best scored 11 points and pulled down six rebounds for the Panthers.

Concordia hosts Hannibal-LaGrange on Nov. 14 in the final contest of the Cattle Classic Tournament. The game is scheduled for 1 p.m. at the Health, Human Performance and Athletic Center.

Bulldogs conclude Cattle Classic with 77-69 win over Hannibal-LaGrange

14 NOV 2009

Concordia University 77, Hannibal-LaGrange 69 (view stats)

Concordia University earned a 77-69 men’s basketball win over Hannibal-LaGrange in the final game of the 2009 Cattle Classic Tournament on Saturday afternoon in Seward. The Bulldogs improved to 4-3 on the year with the win. The Trojans dropped to 2-3 on the year with the loss.

Concordia hit 20-of-57 shots in the game for 35.1 percent. The Bulldogs were 9-of-22 from behind the three point line and 28-of-42 from the foul line. Hannibal-LaGrange connected on 25-of-55 shots for 45.5 percent. The Trojans were 3-of-11 from the three point line and 16-of-20 from the free throw line on the day.

The Trojans held a 34-16 advantage in point in the paint. Hannibal-LaGrange also had 10 fast break points compared to just two for the Bulldogs. However, Concordia held a 43-33 rebounding advantage and a 17-10 advantage in second chance points in the win.

Tyler Byrd had a game-high 20 points to lead the way for Concordia. Byrd went 7-of-11 from the field and hit 3-of-4 from the foul line on the day. Dustin Weber added 13 points, while Sam Huebner added a double-double of 13 points and 14 rebounds for the Bulldogs.

Brian Gilbert had a team-high 17 points to go along with five rebounds for Hannibal-LaGrange. Josh Boswell and Gerell Wells each had 13 points, and Brock Webber added 11 points for the Trojans.

The Concordia men finished as the Cattle Classic Tournament Runner-up with a 1-1 record. York College was the Tournament Champs with a 2-0 record, and Hannibal-LaGrange was third with a record of 0-2.

Following Saturday’s game, the All-Tournament Team was announced. Tyler Byrd and Sam Huebner were selected as Concordia’s representatives. Byrd had 14 points, five rebounds and five assists against York College on Thursday and added 20 points against Hannibal-LaGrange on Saturday. Huebner had 17 points and nine rebounds against York College and added 13 points and 14 rebounds against Hannibal-LaGrange.

Justice Nall and Corey Standerfer of York College and Brian Gilbert of Hannibal-LaGrange were the other players selected to the All-Tournament Team. Nall was named Tournament MVP after posting back-to-back double-doubles in the two York College wins this weekend.

All Cattle Classic Team:
Justice Nall – York College (MVP)
Corey Standerfer – York College
Tyler Byrd – Concordia
Sam Huebner – Concordia
Brian Gilbert – Hannibal-LaGrange

Team Records at Cattle Classic:
York (2-0) – Champs
Concordia (1-1) – Runner-up
Hannibal-LaGrange (0-2) – Third Place

Concordia opens GPAC play with dramatic 68-66 win over Mount Marty

21 NOV 2009

Concordia University 68, Mount Marty 66 OT (view stats)

Concordia University picked up a 68-66 overtime win over Mount Marty on Saturday afternoon. The Bulldogs improved to 5-3 overall and 1-0 in the GPAC with the win. Mount Marty slipped to 1-6 overall and 0-1 in the GPAC with the loss.

Concordia jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead to start the game. The Bulldogs threatened to pull away, but Mount Marty closed the gap late in the first half. Two made free throws by Evan Kucera gave Concordia a slim 25-21 halftime lead.

Concordia again threatened to pull away early in the second half. A made jumper by Kucera gave the Bulldogs a 45-29 lead with just over 12 minutes remaining in the contest. However, the Lancers again chipped away at the lead, and a jumper by Dan Harmon tied the score at 58-58 and sent the game into overtime.

The overtime period remained tightly contested throughout. A Tyler Byrd free throw gave the Bulldogs a 68-64 lead with just over a minute remaining. Two made free throws by Mount Marty’s Stephen Klekas pulled the Lancers within two at 68-66. Concordia missed four straight free throws down the stretch to leave the door open for Mount Marty. However, Trey Krier missed a three pointer as time expired, and the Bulldogs held on for the dramatic 68-66 win.

Concordia hit 21-of-52 shots in the game for 40.4 percent. The Bulldogs were 5-of-14 from the three point line for 35.7 percent and 21-of-32 at the free throw line for 65.6 percent. Concordia turned the ball over 13 times in the contest.

Mount Marty was 19-of-55 from the field for 34.5 percent. The Lancers connected on just 2-of-14 from the three point line for 14.3 percent and hit 26-of-37 from the foul line for 70.3 percent. Mount Marty held a 37-26 rebounding advantage in the game.

Brent Houchin scored 13 points to lead three Bulldogs in double figures. Dustin Weber added 12 points and four boards, and Evan Kucera delivered 11 points and a team-high seven rebounds for Concordia in the win.

Dan Harmon scored a game-high 16 points and pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds to lead Mount Marty. Jared Wall added 15 points and six boards for the Lancers.

Concordia will travel to Midland Lutheran for an 8 p.m. contest on Nov. 24.

Concordia pounds Midland 72-53 for third straight win

24 NOV 2009

Concordia University 72, Midland Lutheran 53 (view stats)

Three players scored in double figures as the Concordia University men’s basketball team earned a 72-53 road win over Midland Lutheran on Tuesday evening. The Bulldogs improved to 6-3 overall and 2-0 in the GPAC with the victory. The Warriors slipped to 2-7 overall and remained winless in GPAC play at 0-2.

Concordia led by as many as 13 in the opening half and took a 39-28 lead into halftime. The Warriors pulled within seven at 41-34 early in the second half, but Concordia pulled away. The Bulldogs led by as many as 21 down the stretch and took home the 72-53 win.

Concordia hit 25-of-56 shots in the game for 44.6 percent. The Bulldogs were 7-of-21 (33.3 percent) from the three point line and a solid 15-of-18 (83.3 percent) at the foul line. Concordia held a 42-35 rebounding advantage, and both teams turned the ball over 14 times.

Midland connected on 23-of-67 shots for 34.3 percent. The Warriors were just 3-of-10 from the three point line and 4-of-6 at the free throw line.

Ryan Railey had a game-high 20 points for the Bulldogs in the win. Railey went 6-of-13 overall from the field and was 6-of-11 from the three point line on the night. Porter Birtell added 14 points and a game-high eight rebounds, while Sam Huebner scored 10 points to go along with three assists and two blocks for Concordia.

Jason Ahrens had a team-high 17 points to go along with five rebounds for Midland. Brandon Mach added nine points for the Warriors.

Concordia hosts Doane College on Dec. 2 in an 8 p.m. contest at the Health, Human Performance and Athletic Center.

Concordia pulls away for 82-64 win over Doane College

2 DEC 2009

Concordia University 82, Doane College 64 (view stats)

Concordia University pulled away for an 82-64 men’s basketball win over Doane College on Wednesday evening in Seward. The Bulldogs improved to 7-3 overall and 3-0 in the GPAC with the win. Doane fell to 2-7 overall and 1-2 in the GPAC with the loss.

The first half remained tightly contested throughout. Concordia took a 37-34 lead into the halftime break. The Bulldogs used solid shooting from the field and tough defense to gradually pull away in the final half. Concordia hit 12-of-23 shots (52.2 percent) in the second half, while Doane managed to connect on just 10-of-30 shots.

For the game, the Bulldogs hit 26-of-55 shots for 47.3 percent. Concordia was 5-of-11 from the three point line and 25-of-38 from the free throw line. The Bulldogs dominated the glass with a 47-26 rebounding advantage in the game.

Doane hit 24-of-60 shots in the game for an even 40 percent. The Tigers were just 3-of-16 from the three point line and 13-of-15 (86.7 percent) from the foul line.

Porter Birtell had a huge night for the Bulldogs in the win. Birtell scored a game-high 22 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the field and added a game-high 12 rebounds for Concordia. Dustin Weber added 13 points and seven rebounds, while Sam Huebner delivered 12 points and nine rebounds for a balanced Concordia attack.

Following the game, Concordia senior Dustin Weber talked about the win. “We played really hard all night,” said Weber. “We didn’t move the ball very well in the first half, and they beat us off the dribble quite a bit early on. We made some adjustments in the second half. We were able to stop some of their drives, and that allowed us to attack more offensively.”

Trent Schlautman scored a team-high 20 points for Doane in the loss. Tyler Cyboron added 10 points for the Tigers.

“This win gives us some confidence heading into the weekend,” commented Weber. “We have a huge test coming up at Dakota Wesleyan. They have a good team, and that game will let us know where we are as a team.”

The Bulldogs travel to Dakota Wesleyan on Dec. 5.

Bulldogs suffer 78-64 loss to Dakota Wesleyan

5 DEC 2009

No. 9 Dakota Wesleyan University 78, Concordia University 64 (view stats)

Dakota Wesleyan pulled away for a 78-64 men’s basketball win over Concordia on Saturday afternoon. The Tigers, ranked No. 9 in the NAIA DII Top 25 poll, improved to 8-2 overall and 3-1 in the GPAC with the win. Concordia slipped to 7-4 overall and 3-1 in the GPAC with the loss.

The Bulldogs led for the majority of the first half. Concordia led by as many as five in the first 20 minutes, but the Tigers rallied to take a 31-30 lead into the halftime break. Dakota Wesleyan extended the lead early in the second half and led by as many as 20 points down the stretch. Concordia was unable to mount a rally, and the host Tigers secured the 78-64 victory.

Dakota Wesleyan hit 24-of-55 shots in the game for 43.6 percent. The Tigers were just 4-of-13 from the three point line (30.8 percent) and 26-of-35 at the free throw line (74.3 percent) in the win. DWU held a 41-34 rebounding advantage on the evening.

Concordia was 23-of-59 from the field for 39 percent. The Bulldogs struggled from the three point line, hitting just 4-of-21 attempts in the game for 19 percent. Concordia was 14-of-23 at the foul line for 60.9 percent and turned the ball over 19 times in the loss.

Three players scored in double figures to lead the way for Dakota Wesleyan. Brady Wiebe had a double-double with 23 points and 12 rebounds on 7-of-10 shooting from the field and 9-of-10 shooting from the free throw line. Wiebe also added four blocks, two assists and two steals on the night. Darrin Dorsey scored 19 points to go along with five steals and four assists, and Preston Broughton added 11 points for the Tigers.

Tyler Byrd scored 14 points off the bench to lead the way for Concordia. Byrd also added four assists and two steals. Ryan Railey and Evan Kucera each added eight points for the Bulldogs.

Concordia travels to Hastings College for an 8 p.m. GPAC contest on Dec. 9.

Hastings College earns 71-61 win over Concordia

5 DEC 2009

Hastings College 71, Concordia University 61 (view stats)

Hastings College earned a 71-61 men’s basketball win over Concordia on Wednesday evening. The Broncos improved to 9-3 overall and 3-1 in the GPAC with the win. Concordia dropped to 7-5 overall and 3-2 in the GPAC with the loss.

The Bulldogs got off to a great start and led 8-2 early on. The Broncos quickly battled back and closed the first half on a 10-3 run to take a 32-25 lead into halftime.

Concordia rallied early in the second half to take a 43-42 lead. Hastings responded with an 11-0 run to take a 53-43 lead. The Bulldogs pulled within four at 59-55, but the host Broncos pulled away for the 71-61 victory.

Hastings College was 25-of-65 from the field on the evening. The Broncos were 10-of-21 from the three point line and 11-of-15 from the free throw line. Concordia connected on just 19-of-56 shots from the field in the loss. The Bulldogs were 8-of-25 from the three point line and just 15-of-27 from the free throw line.

Derek Fletcher led the way for Hastings with a game-high 20 points. Waid Vontz and Jake Marvin each added 13 points, and Jeremiah Slough delivered 10 for the Broncos.

Porter Birtell scored a team-high 19 points for Concordia. Ryan Railey added 18 points, and Sam Huebner scored 13 for the Bulldogs.

Concordia hosts Northwestern College on Dec. 12 at 4 p.m. at the Health, Human Performance and Athletic Center.

Concordia outlasts Northwestern 117-111 in four-overtime thriller

12 DEC 2009

Concordia University 117, Northwestern College 111 (4 OT) - view stats

Concordia University rallied for a thrilling 117-111 men’s basketball win in quadruple overtime on Saturday in Seward. It was only the third quadruple-overtime game in GPAC history. The Bulldogs improved to 8-5 overall and 4-2 in the GPAC with the win. Northwestern dropped its first conference game of the year to fall to 9-4 overall and 5-1 in the GPAC.

Northwestern took control of the game early in the first half. The visiting Raiders led by as many as 14 in the opening 20 minutes and took a 41-32 lead into the halftime break. Northwestern took its largest lead of the game early in the second half at 47-32 and maintained a double-digit lead for a good portion of the second half.

Concordia chipped away at the deficit and took a 69-68 lead on a jumper by Sam Huebner with just over four minutes remaining in the game. Northwestern quickly answered and took a 73-69 lead with just over two minutes left in the contest. Concordia again rallied, and the teams traded leads several times down the stretch. Two made free throws by Concordia’s Brandon Schmidt with less than 10 seconds remaining in regulation tied the score at 77-77 and sent the game into overtime.

In the first overtime period, Northwestern led by as many as four at 83-79 with just under three minutes remaining. Concordia rallied to tie the game once again on a lay up by Tyler Byrd and two made free throws by Sam Huebner. Huebner’s lay up with just over a minute remaining gave the Bulldogs an 85-83 lead, but Walker Seim hit two free throws for Northwestern to tie the game once again at 85-85. Byrd scored again with less than a minute to play to give the Bulldogs an 87-85 lead, but a bucket by Brent Dunkelberger tied the game at 87-87 and forced another overtime period.

The second overtime period saw Concordia take a 99-96 lead with less than 20 seconds remaining. However, Seim connected on a three pointer with nine seconds left on the clock to send the game to a third overtime tied at 99-99.

Concordia held the lead for much of the way in the third overtime. The Bulldogs led by as many as five at 107-102, but the Red Raiders again rallied late. A jumper by Dunkelberger tied the score at 109-109 and forced a fourth overtime.

Concordia used solid free throw shooting in the fourth overtime to finally pull away for the win. Northwestern struggled from the field, while Concordia was 8-of-10 from the charity stripe in the final overtime period.

Both teams scored 50 points in the paint and totaled 18 second chance points in the game. Concordia held a 62-32 advantage in bench points, and Northwestern held a 65-55 rebounding advantage. Northwestern had 21 turnovers compared to 14 for Concordia.

Concordia hit 35-of-90 shots in the game for 38.9 percent. The Bulldogs were 9-of-39 from the three point line for 23.1 percent and 38-of-48 at the foul line for 79.2 percent.
Northwestern was 35-of-88 from the field for 39.8 percent. The Raiders connected on just 5-of-19 three point attempts for 26.3 percent and hit 36-of-48 free throws for 75 percent.

Sam Huebner and Evan Kucera led the way with double-doubles for the Bulldogs in the win. Huebner totaled 28 points and a game-high 17 rebounds, while Kucera delivered 25 points and 10 rebounds off the bench for Concordia. Tyler Byrd scored 20 points to go along with five assists, and Brandon Schmidt had 15 points with six assists. Brent Houchin also reached double figures for the Bulldogs with 11 points.

Daniel Van Kalsbeek scored a game-high 33 points and added nine rebounds for Northwestern. Ben Miller and Brent Dunkelberger each had double-doubles for the Red Raiders in the loss. Miller had 19 points and 13 rebounds, while Dunkelberger scored 19 points to go along with 10 rebounds off the bench. Walker Seim and Ryan Stock added 11 and 10 points, respectively, for the Raiders.

Concordia will take part in the Tom Byron Classic Tournament on Dec. 29 and 30.

Huebner named GPAC Player-of-the-Week

16 DEC 2009

Concordia University forward Sam Huebner has been named the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports men’s basketball Player-of-the-Week for his efforts in two games this past week for the Bulldogs. Huebner, a junior from Aurora, CO, averaged 20.5 points and 14 rebounds as the Bulldogs went 1-1 in games against Hastings College and Northwestern College.

Huebner totaled 13 points, a game-high 11 rebounds, two blocks and two steals off the bench in Concordia’s 71-61 loss at Hastings College on Dec. 9. In Concordia’s four-overtime win over Northwestern this past weekend, he scored a team-high 28 points and grabbed a game-high 17 rebounds. He also finished 14-of-16 at the free throw line for the week. For the season, Huebner leads Concordia with 13.3 points per game and 8.3 rebounds per game.

Concordia is now 8-5 on the year and 4-2 in the Great Plains Athletic Conference. The Bulldogs will travel to California to take part in the Tom Byron Classic Tournament on Dec. 29 and 30.

Concordia to compete in 34th annual Tom Byron Classic

18 DEC 2009

The Concordia University men’s basketball team will travel to California to take part in the 34th annual Tom Byron Classic Tournament on Dec. 29 and 30. Central (Iowa), Westminster (Pa.), Westmont and Concordia make up this year’s tournament field.

There will be a free, live internet video broadcast for all games in the tournament. The broadcasts are only available in real time and cannot be accessed after the event. The URL to access all of the broadcasts is:
http://blogs.westmont.edu/athletics/broadcast-schedule/

There will also be a free, live radio broadcast of the games involving Westmont. The radio broadcasts can be found via the internet at:
http://www.newspress.com/Top/sbnp_radio/radio.html

Finally, a live stats broadcast will also be provided for each game. The live stats broadcast index can be accessed at:
http://blogs.westmont.edu/athletics/live-stats-index/

The schedule of the tournament is listed below.

Schedule (all times are PST):

Tuesday, Dec. 29
Central vs. Westminster, 5:30 p.m.
Concordia vs. Westmont, 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 30
Consolation Game, 5:30 p.m.
Championship Game, 7:30 p.m.

Concordia falls to Westmont College in Tom Byron Classic, 86-66

29 DEC 2009

Westmont College 86, Concordia University 66 (view stats)

Westmont College pulled away for an 86-66 win over Concordia in the opening round of the Tom Byron Classic Tournament on Tuesday evening. The Warriors improved to 6-2 on the year with the win, while the Bulldogs dropped to 8-6 on the year with the loss.

Westmont jumped out to an early lead, and the Bulldogs had difficulty slowing the Warriors down. Westmont led by as many as 13 on several occasions in the opening half and took a 40-27 lead into the halftime break. The Warriors came out on fire once again in the second half. Westmont led by as many as 23 in the final half and cruised to the 86-66 win.

Westmont connected on 35-of-61 shots from the field for 57.4 percent. The Warriors were 9-of-18 from three point land for 50 percent and 7-of-11 from the charity stripe for 63.6 percent. Concordia hit 22-of-64 shots in the contest for 34.4 percent. The Bulldogs were 7-of-22 from behind the arc for 31.8 percent and 15-of-22 at the free throw line for 68.2 percent.

Five players scored in double figures for Westmont in the win. Blake Bender scored 18, and Andrew Schmalbach added 16 for the Warriors. Matt LeDuc scored 15, Dan Rasp had 12 and Christopher had a double-double of 10 points and 11 assists for Westmont. Concordia was led by Tyler Byrd’s 18 points. Sam Huebner added 13 points and a team-high eight boards for the Bulldogs.

Concordia will take on Westminster College in the consolation game on Wednesday.

Concordia concludes play in Tom Byron Classic with 73-66 win over Westminster

30 DEC 2009

Concordia University 73, Westminster 66 (view stats)

Concordia University earned a 73-66 win over Westminster on Wednesday in the consolation game of the Tom Byron Classic Tournament. The Bulldogs improved to 9-6 on the year with the win. The Titans dropped to 2-8 with the loss.

Concordia led by as many as 10 on two separate occasions in the first half and took a 35-28 lead into halftime. The Bulldogs extended the lead early in the second half and led by as many as 17 at 61-44 with just over seven minutes remaining in the game. The Titans attempted to rally late in the contest, but Concordia held on for the 73-66 victory.

Concordia was 22-of-59 from the field for 37.3 percent. The Bulldogs were 10-of-25 from the three point line for 40 percent and 19-of-26 from the charity stripe for 73.1 percent. Westminster was 25-of-62 from the field for 40.3 percent in the loss. The Titans went 5-of-16 from behind the three point line for 31.3 percent and 11-of-13 from the free throw line for 84.6 percent. Both teams totaled 38 rebounds in the contest.

Four players scored in double figures to lead a balanced scoring attack for the Bulldogs. Porter Birtell had a double-double with a game-high 18 points to go along with 10 rebounds. Tyler Byrd added 17 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Ryan Railey scored 10 points, and Ryan Shrum delivered 11 points off the bench for the Bulldogs in the win. Tyler Byrd was named to the All-Tournament Team for his efforts in the two-day tournament.

Ryne Murray scored 17 points and pulled down 10 boards to lead the way for Westminster. Rob Briggs scored 15, Max Spinner had 11 and Ron Martino added 10 points for the Titans.

Concordia earns 70-59 win over Dana College

7 JAN 2010

Concordia University 70, Dana College 59 (view stats)

Concordia University used a strong second half to earn a 70-59 win over Dana College on Thursday evening in Blair. Concordia improved to 10-6 overall and 5-2 in the GPAC with the win. Dana dropped to 5-11 overall and 1-5 in conference play with the loss.

Both teams struggled from the field in the opening half of play. Dana connected on 11-of-30 shots for 36.7 percent. Concordia went just 7-of-30 from the field for 23.3 percent, and Dana held a slim 28-27 lead at halftime. The second half saw Concordia respond with a much better effort on the offensive end. The Bulldogs went 17-of-35 (48.6 percent) from the field and 4-of-8 from three point land in the final 20 minutes.

For the game, Concordia hit 24-of-65 shots for 36.9 percent. The Bulldogs were 17-of-28 at the foul line (60.7 percent) and just 5-of-20 from behind the three point line (25 percent). Dana connected on 22-of-58 shots in the game for 37.9 percent. The Vikings were just 9-of-17 (52.9 percent) from the charity stripe and 6-of-18 (33.3 percent) from three point land. Concordia held a 45-40 rebounding advantage. Dana committed 17 turnovers compared to just nine for the Bulldogs.

Porter Birtell scored a game-high 21 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead the way for Concordia in the win. Birtell was 6-of-12 from the field and 9-of-12 from the foul line on the night. Tyler Byrd scored 15 points to go along with three assists, and Sam Huebner added 11 points, seven boards and three blocks. Brandon Schmidt chipped in with 10 points, four steals and three assists off the bench for the Bulldogs.

Danny Petersen scored 14 points to lead the way for Dana College. Alex McCleary added 13, while Taylor Oltjenbruns had a double-double of 11 points and a game-high 15 rebounds for the Vikings.

Concordia continues GPAC play with a road contest at Dordt College on Saturday.

Balanced attack leads Concordia to 83-75 win over Dordt College

9 JAN 2010

Concordia University 83, Dordt College 75 (view stats)

Concordia University earned an 83-75 win over Dordt College on Saturday afternoon in GPAC men’s basketball. Concordia improved to 11-6 overall and 6-2 in conference play with the win. Dordt dropped to 9-6 overall and 1-5 in the GPAC with the loss.

Dordt College led by as many as six (20-14) in the first 20 minutes. Concordia, however, closed the half on a 24-9 run to take a 38-29 lead into halftime. The Bulldogs extended the lead early in the second half and held a double-digit lead for a good portion of the final half. The Defenders attempted to rally late and pulled within four at 75-71 with just over two minutes remaining. However, solid free throw shooting down the stretch secured the 83-75 win for the Bulldogs.

Dordt College held a 38-28 advantage in points in the paint and an 8-5 advantage in fast break points. Concordia held a slim 15-14 advantage in points off turnovers and a 10-7 advantage in second chance points. The Concordia bench came up big once again in the win. The Bulldog bench scored 28 points compared to just five points for the Dordt College bench.

Concordia hit 26-of-52 shots in the game for an even 50 percent. The Bulldogs were 7-of-20 from the three point line for 35 percent and a solid 24-of-29 from the free throw line for 82.8 percent. Dordt College was 29-of-63 from the field in the contest for 46 percent. The Defenders were 5-of-13 from the three point line for 38.5 percent and 12-of-20 from the charity stripe for 60 percent.

The inside and outside combination of Porter Birtell and Ryan Shrum was very effective for Concordia in the win. Shrum hit six 3-pointers and scored a team-high 20 points off the bench for the Bulldogs. Birtell scored 17 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the field and pulled down nine rebounds. Ryan Railey also added 15 points and was 8-of-8 from the free throw line for Concordia.

Michael Eekhoff and Logan Kingma each had big games for Dordt College in defeat. Eekhoff scored a game-high 36 points on 16-of-23 shooting from the field, and Kingma added 25 points and nine boards for the Defenders.

Birtell named GPAC Player-of-the-Week

12 JAN 2010

Concordia’s Porter Birtell has been named the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Men’s Basketball Player-of-the-Week for his efforts in two Bulldog wins last week.

Birtell, a freshman from Madison, averaged 19 points and 8.5 rebounds per game last week as the Bulldogs defeated Dana College and Dordt College.

He scored a game-high 21 points and pulled down eight rebounds in Concordia’s 70-59 win over Dana College. He added 17 points and a game-high nine boards as Concordia held off Dordt College by the score of 83-75 on Saturday. For the week, he was 14-of-22 from the field and 10-of-14 at the foul line.

So far this season, Birtell ranks second on the team with 12.1 points per game and 7.1 rebounds per game. He has connected on 77-of-132 shots from the field for a team-best 58.3 percent.

Concordia is 11-6 overall on the season and 6-2 in GPAC play. The Bulldogs travel to Nebraska Wesleyan on Jan. 13 for an 8 p.m. contest against the Prairie Wolves.

Birtell's late bucket lifts Concordia to 70-68 win over Nebraska Wesleyan

13 JAN 2010

Concordia University 70, Nebraska Wesleyan University 68 (view stats)

The Concordia University men’s basketball team snuck past Nebraska Wesleyan by the score of 70-68 on Wednesday evening in Lincoln. The Bulldogs trailed late in the game but managed to rally for the exciting win. Concordia improved to 12-6 overall and 7-2 in the GPAC with the win. Nebraska Wesleyan slipped to 5-8 overall and 3-3 in the GPAC with the loss.

The first half was tightly contested throughout. Concordia led by as many as six in the opening half and took a slim 36-32 lead into the halftime break.

The Bulldogs extended the lead early in the second half and led by as many as nine at 49-40 with just under 15 minutes remaining in the contest. However, Nebraska Wesleyan came all the way back, and a layup by Bryce Arp gave the Prairie Wolves a 68-67 lead with just over two minutes remaining.

After turnovers by each team, Concordia tied the game at 68-68 on a Tyler Byrd free throw with 40 seconds remaining. Following another Wesleyan turnover, Concordia’s Porter Birtell scored off an assist by Byrd to give the Bulldogs a 70-68 lead with only four seconds left to play. Nebraska Wesleyan had one final chance to tie or win the game. However, Nick Dinan missed a shot in the final second, and the Bulldogs escaped with the 70-68 win.

Concordia was 25-of-50 from the field for an even 50 percent. The Bulldogs were 10-of-20 from behind the three point line and 10-of-13 from the free throw line for 76.9 percent. Nebraska Wesleyan was 22-of-42 from the field on the evening for 52.4 percent. The Prairie Wolves were 4-of-7 from three point land for 57.1 percent and a stellar 20-of-23 from the free throw line for 87 percent. Both teams finished with 25 rebounds and 15 turnovers. Each team finished with 28 points in the paint. Wesleyan had 24 points off turnovers compared to 18 for Concordia.

Ryan Railey went 5-of-11 from behind the three point line and scored 15 points to lead a balanced Concordia offensive attack. Tyler Byrd added 14 points and a game-high four assists. Porter Birtell scored 12 points and connected on the game-winning field goal for Concordia, while Sam Huebner added a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Bulldogs.

Bryce Arp scored 15 points to lead four players in double figures for Nebraska Wesleyan. Jim Lance and Jake Spurgeon each scored 12 points, and Ryan Thramer added 11 points for the Prairie Wolves.

Concordia returns home to host Morningside College on Jan. 16 in a 4 p.m. contest at the Health, Human Performance and Athletic Center.

Concordia edges Morningside College, 75-73

16 JAN 2010

Concordia University 75, Morningside College 73 (view stats)

Concordia University rallied for a 75-73 win over Morningside College in GPAC men’s basketball on Saturday evening. Concordia won its fifth straight game to improve to 13-6 overall and 8-2 in conference play. Morningside slipped to 10-9 overall and 4-5 in conference play with the loss.

Concordia got off to a sluggish start offensively, and the visiting Mustangs capitalized in the first half. The Bulldogs connected on just 12-of-33 shots from the field in the opening half for 36.4 percent, while Morningside hit 16-of-25 shots in the first 20 minutes for 64 percent. The Mustangs took a 44-33 lead into the halftime break.

Concordia cut into the deficit, but Morningside held onto the lead for a good portion of the second half. The Bulldogs reclaimed the lead at 59-58 on a three pointer by Tyler Byrd with just over seven minutes remaining in the contest. The game went down to the wire with several ties and lead changes down the stretch.

Concordia took a slim 70-69 lead on two made free throws by Ryan Railey with just over two minutes left to play. A jumper by Morningside’s Eddie Marrs gave the Mustangs a 71-70 lead, but Concordia’s Porter Birtell answered with a layup to give Concordia a 72-71 advantage. Following a Morningside miss, Ryan Shrum hit two free throws to extend the Bulldog lead to three at 74-71 with just over a minute remaining.

Marrs scored to pull the Mustangs within one at 74-73 with 50 seconds left to play. Following a Concordia miss, Morningside had a chance to win the game. However, Marrs missed a jumper in the final seconds, and Brian Evans secured the rebound for Concordia. Evans was fouled and hit one of two from the foul line to give Concordia a 75-73 lead with a few seconds remaining. Joel Haveman missed a deep three point attempt as time expired, and Concordia held on for the 75-73 victory.

“We were really disappointed at halftime,” said Grant Schmidt, head coach of the Bulldogs. “We didn’t play well early, but we came back and won the second half by 13 points. Our wings really stepped up defensively in the second half, and we just let the offense come to us as the game went on. We had a lot of timely plays by several guys in this game.”

Concordia hit 12-of-23 shots in the second half to rally for the win, while Morningside was just 9-of-31 from the field in the final half of play. For the game, Concordia was 24-of-56 for 42.9 percent. The Bulldogs were 10-of-21 from the three point line for 47.6 percent and 17-of-26 from the free throw line for 65.4 percent. Morningside was 25-of-56 from the field on the evening for 44.6 percent. The Mustangs were 4-of-11 from behind the three point line for 36.4 percent and 19-of-29 from the free throw line for 65.5 percent. Concordia held a 36-35 rebounding advantage. Concordia had 13 turnovers in the game compared to 11 for the Mustangs.

Porter Birtell had another huge night to lead the way for Concordia. Birtell, last week’s GPAC Player-of-the-Week, had a double-double of 24 points and 13 rebounds in the Bulldog win. He was 10-of-15 from the field and 4-of-6 at the foul line on the night. Tyler Byrd scored 14 points, and Sam Huebner added nine points and two blocks. Dustin Weber scored eight points, and Ryan Shrum poured in seven points off then bench for Concordia.

Eddie Marrs scored 21 points to lead Morningside College. Garth Hamilton added 12 points, and Mitch Carstens scored 10 for the Mustangs.

Concordia hosts Midland Lutheran on Jan. 20. The game is scheduled for 8 p.m. at the Health, Human Performance and Athletic Center.

Concordia escapes with 61-58 win over Midland for sixth straight victory

20 JAN 2010

Concordia University 61, Midland Lutheran 58 (view stats)

Concordia University got off to a slow start but rallied once again for a 61-58 win over Midland Lutheran on Wednesday evening in Seward. It was the sixth straight win for the Bulldogs, who improved to 14-6 overall and 9-2 in conference play with the victory. Midland Lutheran dropped to 3-19 overall and 1-9 in the GPAC with the loss.

The first half saw several ties and lead changes. Midland took a slim 25-24 lead into halftime thanks largely to offensive struggles by Concordia. The Bulldogs were just 10-of-33 from the field in the opening half of play for 30.3 percent. Concordia connected on just 2-of-12 from behind the three point line and 2-of-5 at the foul line in the first 20 minutes of action.

Concordia again responded with a solid second half. A three pointer by Concordia’s Sam Huebner gave the Bulldogs a 27-25 lead in the opening minute of the second half. Midland would tie the game on a couple of occasions, but Concordia would never trail again.

With Concordia clinging to a 54-53 lead with just under two minutes remaining in regulation, Brandon Schmidt connected on a three pointer with the shot clock winding down to extend the Bulldog lead to four at 57-53. A jumper by Midland’s Jason Ahrens cut the lead to two at 57-55 with just over a minute remaining, but Concordia’s Ryan Railey hit two free throws to increase the lead back to four at 59-55.

Following a Midland miss, Schmidt connected on two free throws to make the score 61-55. Ahrens was fouled while attempting a three pointer, and he hit all three free throws to pull the Warriors within three at 61-58. Following a Concordia missed free throw, Ahrens missed on a three pointer with just 14 seconds remaining. However, Concordia missed two more free throws to leave the door open for the Warriors. As the clock was winding down, Ahrens’ three point attempt was just long, and the Bulldogs hung on for the victory.

Concordia hit 22-of-59 shots in the game for 37.3 percent. The Bulldogs were just 8-of-28 from behind the three point line for 28.6 percent and 9-of-17 from the free throw line for 52.9 percent. Concordia held a commanding 48-32 rebounding advantage, but turned the ball over 17 times compared to 11 for the visiting Warriors.

Midland was 24-of-58 from the field for 42.3 percent. The Warriors were 5-of-19 from three point land for 26.3 percent and 5-of-11 at the charity stripe for 45.5 percent.

Sam Huebner had 14 points, nine rebounds and three blocks to lead the way for Concordia. Ryan Railey hit three 3-pointers and finished with 12 points, while Tyler Byrd added 10 points and a game-high four assists. Porter Birtell had nine points and a game-high 14 rebounds. Brandon Schmidt also had nine points, and Dustin Weber had seven for the Bulldogs.

Jason Ahrens had a game-high 29 points for Midland Lutheran in defeat. Justin Kulwicki added 10 points for the Warriors.
Concordia hosts Briar Cliff University on Jan. 23. The game is scheduled for 4 p.m. on Fan Appreciation Day at the Health, Human Performance and Athletic Center.

Byrd's late jumper gives Concordia 64-62 upset win over Briar Cliff

23 JAN 2010

Concordia University 64, No. 5 Briar Cliff University 62 (view stats)

Tyler Byrd hit a game-winning jumper in the closing seconds to give Concordia a thrilling 64-62 win over No. 5 Briar Cliff University on Saturday in Seward. Both teams had six-game winning streaks entering the weekend. The Bulldogs improved to 15-6 overall on the season. With the win, Concordia moved atop the GPAC standings with a 10-2 conference mark. Briar Cliff slipped to 17-4 overall and 8-2 in GPAC play with the loss.

Concordia jumped out to a quick 11-0 lead in the first three minutes of the game, but Briar Cliff quickly answered with a 15-2 run to grab a 15-13 lead with 12:48 remaining in the first half. The Chargers led for the rest of the half, and a jumper by Matt Geelan gave BCU a 41-27 lead heading into halftime. The Chargers scored 12 points in the paint and 17 points off Concordia turnovers in the first 20 minutes.

The second half was a much different story, as Concordia turned up the intensity on both ends of the floor. Briar Cliff took a 15-point lead at 43-28 with just over 17 minutes remaining in the game, but Concordia slowly chipped away at the lead. Concordia used a 10-0 run, capped by a Ryan Shrum 3-pointer, to tie the game at 45-45 with just over 13 minutes to play.

The Chargers again tried to put Concordia away, and a layup by Geelan gave BCU a 54-47 lead with 10:51 left in regulation. Concordia again answered with a rally of its own, and a 3-pointer by Ryan Railey tied the score at 54-54 with eight minutes to play.

Briar Cliff held a slim 56-54 lead, but a four-point play by Shrum gave Concordia its first lead of the second half at 58-56. Briar Cliff scored the next five points to take a 61-58 lead with just over four minutes remaining. Two made free throws by Railey pulled Concordia within one at 61-60, and a layup by Sam Huebner reclaimed the lead for the Bulldogs at 62-61 with just under three minutes left in the game.

With less than two minutes remaining, Briar Cliff tied the game at 62-62 on a made free throw by Geelan. Both teams had opportunities to grab the lead in the final minutes. After two missed free throws by Briar Cliff’s Michael Collison, Concordia got the ball back with 35 seconds remaining. The Bulldogs ran the clock down, and Byrd hit a contested jumper with only four seconds left in the game. A desperation shot by Briar Cliff’s James Larson was just long, and Concordia held on for the dramatic 64-62 win.

After a tough first half, Concordia outscored Briar Cliff 37-21 in the second half. The Bulldog defense limited the Chargers to just 6-of-28 shooting from the field in the final 20 minutes.

For the game, Concordia was 20-of-52 from the field for 38.5 percent. The Bulldogs were 10-of-20 from the three point line and 14-of-18 at the charity stripe. Briar Cliff was 20-of-58 from the field for 34.5 percent. The Chargers were just 5-of-23 from the three point line and 17-of-26 at the free throw line. Concordia held a 43-35 rebounding advantage. Concordia had 14 turnovers that led to 18 points for BCU. Briar Cliff had only six turnovers in the game.

“Tonight’s game says a lot about the heart of this team,” said Grant Schmidt, head coach of the Bulldogs. “We were down at half, but we came back and held a great offensive team to only 21 points in the second half. We haven’t been ranked or put with the top teams in this conference. People may still doubt us after this win, but we just need to keep playing and move on to the next game.”

Tyler Byrd scored 16 points, including the game-winning field goal, and added a game-high five assists to lead the way for Concordia. Ryan Railey added 11, and Ryan Shrum delivered 10 off the bench. Porter Birtell had nine points and seven boards, while Sam Huebner grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds for the Bulldogs.

“This is a big win, because it puts us at the top of the conference standings,” commented Byrd. “It also shows that we can play with anybody, and this game should prepare us for tough games down the road.”

Matt Geelan scored 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds for Briar Cliff. Kyle Semprini added 11 points for the Chargers.

Concordia travels to Doane College for an 8 p.m. contest on Jan. 27.

Concordia rallies to knock off Doane, 69-66

27 JAN 2010

Concordia University 69, Doane College 66 (view stats)

Concordia University rallied for a 69-66 men’s basketball win over Doane College on Wednesday evening in Crete. Concordia won its eighth straight game and is now 16-6 overall and 11-2 in GPAC play this season. Doane slipped to 5-15 overall and 4-8 in conference play with the loss.

Concordia never led in the first half of play. Doane connected on 15-of-24 shots from the field in the first 20 minutes and took a 39-28 lead into halftime. Concordia again used a huge second half to get back into the game.

The Bulldogs chipped away at the Doane lead in the early minutes of the second half. Concordia took its first lead of the game (48-47) on a three pointer by Tyler Byrd with just under 10 minutes remaining in the contest. Doane responded with a 9-0 run to grab a 56-48 lead with just over seven minutes remaining in the game.

Concordia seized momentum with less than five minutes to play in regulation. Doane held a 60-55 lead. However, a three pointer by Byrd pulled Concordia within two at 60-58. On the next Bulldog possession, Ryan Railey hit a three pointer and was fouled on the play. Railey hit the free throw to give Concordia a 62-60 lead.

Doane tied the game at 62-62, but back-to-back layups by Sam Huebner gave Concordia a 66-62 lead with two minutes remaining in the contest. Doane pulled within two at 66-64 on a basket by Jens Scholl, but two made free throws by Huebner extended the Bulldog lead back to four at 68-64 with less than a minute to play.

Doane again pulled within two at 68-66 on a basket by Zach Moult with 30 seconds remaining. Concordia’s Brandon Schmidt hit one of two from the foul line to give the Bulldogs a 69-66 lead with time winding down. Doane had one final attempt to tie the game. However, Scholl’s three point attempt was blocked, and Concordia secured the 69-66 victory.

Concordia was 27-of-57 from the field in the win for 47.4 percent. The Bulldogs were 8-of-22 from three point land for 36.4 percent and 7-of-12 at the foul line for 58.3 percent. Concordia held a 30-20 advantage in points in the paint. The Bulldogs also scored 23 second chance points compared to just eight for the Tigers.

Doane was 26-of-45 from the field for 57.8 percent. The Tigers were 6-of-14 from behind the three point line for 42.9 percent and 8-of-13 from the foul line for 61.5 percent.

Concordia was led by Ryan Railey’s 20 points. Railey hit five 3-pointers and added two assists. Sam Huebner added 15 points on the night. Porter Birtell scored 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field, while Tyler Byrd added 12 points for the Bulldogs in the win.

Jens Scholl had 19 points and eight boards for Doane. Trent Schlautman added 14 points, and Zach Moult had 10 points for the Tigers.

Concordia will compete in the Concordia Invitational Tournament on Friday and Saturday in Wisconsin.

Concordia topples Concordia-Ann Arbor at Concordia Invitational Tournament for ninth straight win

29 JAN 2010

Concordia University 72, Concordia University-Ann Arbor 62 (view stats)

Concordia earned a 72-62 win over Concordia University-Ann Arbor on Friday afternoon at the Concordia Invitational Tournament. It was the ninth straight win for the Bulldogs, who improved to 17-6 on the year.

Concordia-Ann Arbor held the lead for a good portion of the first half. The Cardinals led by as many as five in the first 20 minutes, but the Bulldogs scored the final six points of the half. A 3-pointer by Sam Huebner gave Concordia a 32-29 lead heading into halftime.

The Bulldogs built a 44-31 lead with a 12-2 run to start the second half. Concordia continued to pour it on and led by double digits the rest of the way. The Cardinals were unable to mount a rally. The Bulldogs led by as many as 18 in the second half and settled for the 72-62 victory.

Concordia was 22-of-48 from the field for 45.8 percent in the win. The Bulldogs connected on 5-of-15 from behind the three point line and were 23-of-34 at the foul line for 67.6 percent. Concordia-Ann Arbor was just 18-of-52 from the field for 34.6 percent. The Cardinals were 4-of-17 from three point land for 23.5 percent and 22-of-27 from the free throw line for 81.5 percent.

Three players scored in double figures to lead the way for Concordia offensively. Sam Huebner paced the Bulldogs with a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds. Tyler Byrd and Ryan Railey each scored 12 points and connected on two 3-pointers apiece for the Bulldogs. Porter Birtell added nine points and seven rebounds. Brandon Schmidt scored eight points, while Dustin Weber poured in seven points for Concordia in the win.

Rocko Holmes scored a game high 20 points and pulled down nine rebounds for Concordia-Ann Arbor. Marius Williams added 17 points for the Cardinals.

The Bulldogs face the winner of Friday evening’s contest between Concordia-Chicago and Concordia-Wisconsin in the CIT championship game on Saturday. Concordia is looking to win the CIT for the second straight year. The tip is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Mequon. Fans unable to attend the championship game can catch all the action on a live webcast at the following link.

http://www.cuw.edu/videoserver/athletics.cfm

Bulldogs upended by Concordia University Wisconsin, 91-73

30 JAN 2010

Concordia University Wisconsin 91, Concordia University 73 (view stats)

Concordia University Wisconsin defeated the Concordia men by the score of 91-73 in the championship game of the Concordia Invitational Tournament on Saturday evening. The host Falcons improved to 11-8 on the season and won the CIT title for the second time. The Bulldogs dropped to 17-7 on the year with the loss. Concordia also had its nine-game winning streak snapped.

The Bulldogs got off to a great start and led by as many as eight in the early minutes of the contest. However, the Falcons fought back to take a 15-12 lead with just over 13 minutes remaining in the first half. Concordia Wisconsin used stellar shooting from the field to take control of the game from there. The Falcons led by as many as 15 in the closing minutes of the half and took a 48-37 lead into the halftime break.

Concordia cut the lead to nine at 48-39 to start the second half, but the host Falcons used a 12-2 run to take a 60-41 lead. The Bulldogs would get no closer than 13 the rest of the way as the hot shooting by Concordia Wisconsin continued.

For the game, Concordia Wisconsin connected on 32-of-54 shots for 59.3 percent. As a team, the Falcons hit seven 3-pointers in each half and finished an amazing 14-of-17 (82.4 percent) from behind the three point line in the win. CUW was 13-of-18 at the foul line for 72.2 percent.

Concordia was 21-of-45 from the field for 46.7 percent in the loss. The Bulldogs hit just 5-of-20 attempts from three point land and were 26-of-37 at the foul line for 70.3 percent.

Mitchell Schneider led four players in double figures with 16 points for Concordia Wisconsin. Kyle Barth added 14 points and seven boards. Kyle Lopez and Tyler Granrath each delivered 12 points for the Falcons.

Tyler Byrd scored a game-high 17 points for the Bulldogs. Porter Birtell added 11 points and six boards, and Brandon Schmidt poured in nine points off the bench for the Bulldogs.

Concordia returns to GPAC play with a home contest against Hastings College on Feb. 3. The game is scheduled for 8 p.m. at the Health, Human Performance and Athletic Center.

Balanced scoring leads Hastings College to 89-75 win over No. 24 Concordia

3 FEB 2010

Hastings College 89, No. 24 Concordia University 75 (view stats)

All five starters scored in double figures as the Hastings College men earned an 89-75 win over No. 24 Concordia University on Wednesday evening in Seward. The Broncos improved to 19-5 overall and 10-3 in the GPAC with the win. Concordia dropped its second straight game to fall to 17-8 overall and 11-3 in GPAC play.

Hastings College led for the first several minutes of the first half. However, Concordia used a quick 9-0 run to tie the game at 21-21 with just over 10 minutes to play in the opening stanza. A 3-pointer by Dustin Weber gave Concordia its biggest lead of nine at 40-31 with just over four minutes left in the half. But the Broncos closed the half on a 13-0 run to take a 44-40 lead into the halftime break.

Hastings carried momentum into the final half of play, and the Broncos quickly grabbed a double-digit lead with just over 17 minutes remaining in the contest. Concordia managed to rally, and another 3-pointer from Weber pulled the Bulldogs within three at 66-63 with just under nine minutes to play.

The Broncos answered with an 11-2 run to reclaim control of the game at 77-65 with just over five minutes to play in regulation. Concordia would get no closer than nine the rest of the way, and Hastings cruised to the 89-75 victory.

Hastings College went 35-of-71 from the field for 49.3 percent. The Broncos were just 5-of-21 from the three point line for 23.8 percent, but connected on 14-of-17 from the free throw line for 82.4 percent. Hastings held a commanding 45-30 rebounding advantage, and points in the paint were the story of the game. Hastings totaled 46 points in the paint compared to just 18 for Concordia.

Concordia was 23-of-56 from the field for 41.1 percent. The Bulldogs hit 13-of-30 three point attempts for 43.3 percent and went 16-of-23 at the foul line for 69.6 percent.

Derek Fletcher had a double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds to pace Hastings College in the win. Kylor Dossett also had a double-double of 11 points and 10 boards for the Broncos. Waid Vontz added 17 points, and Jake Marvin poured in 12. Jeremiah Slough, last week’s NAIA Player-of-the-Week, totaled 16 points for the Broncos.

Dustin Weber scored a team-high 17 points for Concordia. Weber went 6-of-9 from the field and 5-of-8 from three point land for the Bulldogs. Sam Huebner was the only other player in double figures for Concordia with 15 points. Porter Birtell, Tyler Byrd, Ryan Railey and Brent Houchin all scored nine points for Concordia in the loss.

Concordia hosts GPAC-leading Dakota Wesleyan University on Feb. 6. The contest is scheduled for 4 p.m. at the Health, Human Performance and Athletic Center.

Broughton, Bain lead No. 11 Dakota Wesleyan in 73-63 win over No. 24 Concordia

6 FEB 2010

No. 11 Dakota Wesleyan University 73, No. 24 Concordia University 63 (view stats)

Dakota Wesleyan, ranked No. 11 in the latest NAIA Top 25 Poll, pulled away for a 73-63 men’s basketball victory over No. 24 Concordia on Saturday in Seward. The visiting Tigers improved to 21-5 overall on the season with the win. DWU also improved to 13-2 in conference play and extended its lead in the GPAC standings. Concordia dropped its third straight game to fall to 17-9 overall and 11-4 in GPAC play.

Concordia jumped out to an early 11-6 lead, but Dakota Wesleyan rallied. The Tigers used an 8-0 run to take a 31-21 lead with less than five minutes to play in the opening half. Concordia cut into the lead as the first half came to a close, and a Dustin Weber 3-pointer pulled the Bulldogs within five at 35-30 heading into halftime.

Dakota Wesleyan came out on fire to start the second half. The Tigers used a 13-3 run to open the half to take a 48-34 lead with just over 17 minutes remaining in the contest. However, Concordia wouldn’t go away. The Bulldogs came all the way back, and a three point play by Brandon Schmidt tied the game at 55-55 with just over 10 minutes left to play.

As good teams usually do, DWU answered Concordia’s rally with a rally of its own. The Tigers used a 9-1 run to reclaim advantage in the contest at 64-56. Concordia would get no closer than five the rest of the way, and Dakota Wesleyan settled for the 73-63 victory.

Dakota Wesleyan finished 28-of-55 from the field for 50.9 percent in the win. The Tigers were 7-of-13 from three point range for 53.8 percent, but were just 10-of-19 from the foul line for 52.6 percent. Concordia was just 23-of-65 from the field for 35.4 percent in the loss. The Bulldogs connected on 10-of-26 from long range for 38.5 percent and were just 7-of-14 from the foul line in the loss. Concordia held a 25-7 advantage in bench points and a 42-40 rebounding advantage. Dakota Wesleyan scored 32 points in the paint compared to just 18 for Concordia, and the Tigers held a 10-2 advantage in fast break points.

Preston Broughton had 26 points and nine rebounds to lead the way for DWU. Mitch Bain added 19 points, four assists and three steals for the Tigers. Darrin Dorsey poured in 11 points to go along with a game-high six assists for Dakota Wesleyan.

Tyler Byrd was the only Concordia player to reach double figures with 14 points. Ryan Shrum delivered nine points on three 3-pointers, while Porter Birtell chipped in with eight points and six boards for the Bulldogs.

Concordia hosts Dana College on Feb. 10 at 8 p.m. at the Health, Human Performance and Athletic Center.

Hot outside shooting sparks Dana College in 84-77 win over Concordia

10 FEB 2010

Dana College 84, Concordia University 77 (view stats)

The Concordia University men’s basketball continued to struggle Wednesday evening with an 84-77 loss to Dana College. It was the fourth straight loss for the Bulldogs, who dropped to 17-10 overall and 11-5 in conference play. Dana improved to 8-17 overall and 4-11 in GPAC play with the victory.

Much like the first matchup earlier this season, the first half remained tightly contested throughout. Dana College held the lead for a good portion of the first 20 minutes, and the Vikings took a 39-35 lead into halftime. Dana scored 14 points in the paint and added eight points off Concordia turnovers in the first half of play.

Concordia used an 8-0 run to open the second half and took its biggest lead of the game at 43-39 with 17:26 remaining in the contest. However, Dana quickly erased the deficit. The Vikings went on an 18-4 run to take a 57-47 lead with just under 10 minutes to play. Concordia again rallied and pulled within two on multiple occasions. But Dana’s outside shooting was too much for the Bulldogs to overcome, and the Vikings pulled away for the 84-77 win.

Dana was 25-of-52 from the field for 48.1 percent on the evening. The outside shooting by the Vikings proved to be the difference in the game. Dana was an impressive 14-of-22 from behind the three point line for 63.6 percent. The Vikings hit 20-of-29 free throws in the game for 69 percent.

Concordia held the advantage in paint points (38-20) and second chance points (20-5), but the Bulldogs were just 8-of-28 from three point land for 28.6 percent. Overall, Concordia connected on 30-of-75 shots from the field for an even 40 percent. The Bulldogs were 9-of-15 from the charity stripe for 60 percent. Concordia held a 49-33 rebounding advantage, and both teams turned the ball over 12 times.

Danny Petersen scored a game-high 23 points for Dana College. Petersen was 7-of-9 overall from the field and 5-of-7 from long range. Taylor Oltjenbruns had a solid game all around for the Vikings with 15 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, two blocks and a steal. AJ Arkfeld added 14 points, and Jake Brandl scored 12 on 4-of-8 shooting from behind the three point line. Alex McCleary added 11 points off the bench for Dana.

Tyler Byrd scored 18 points and dished out seven assists for Concordia in a losing effort. Dustin Weber added 14 points and three assists, while Sam Huebner delivered a double-double of 12 points and 11 boards for the Bulldogs. Porter Birtell also grabbed 11 rebounds before leaving the contest due to injury.

Concordia travels to Sioux Falls on Saturday for a 4 p.m. contest against the Cougars. Concordia and Sioux Falls are currently tied for third place in the GPAC standings.

Sioux Falls stays perfect at home with 73-63 win over Concordia

13 FEB 2010

No. 16 University of Sioux Falls 73, Concordia University 63 (view stats)

Concordia University suffered a 73-63 loss to the University of Sioux Falls in GPAC men’s basketball on Saturday afternoon. USF improved to 21-8 overall and 12-5 in conference play with the win. The Cougars also improved their home record to 15-0 this year. Concordia dropped its fifth straight contest to fall to 17-11 overall and 11-6 in the GPAC.

The first half went back and forth. After Concordia used an 8-0 run to tie the game at 26-26, Sioux Falls scored the final five points of the half to take a 31-26 lead into halftime. The Bulldogs rallied in the second half. USF went over four minutes without scoring, and Concordia took advantage. The Bulldogs led by as many as four at 40-36 with just over 12 minutes remaining in the contest.

With just under 10 minutes left in the game, Sioux Falls reclaimed the lead for good at 47-45. Concordia tried to rally late, but solid free throw shooting in the closing minutes secured the 73-63 win for the Cougars.

Sam Huebner had a double-double to lead the way for Concordia in a losing effort. Huebner scored a game-high 19 points and added 10 boards on the day. Dustin Weber added 13 points for the Bulldogs.

Thomas Frames, Matt Malloy and Kelly Hubbard each scored 15 points for Sioux Falls. Hubbard also totaled nine rebounds, while David Maxwell delivered 11 points and six rebounds for USF.

Concordia hosts Nebraska Wesleyan University on Feb. 17 at 8 p.m. at the Health, Human Performance and Athletic Center.

Weber and Huebner lead the way in Concordia's 71-57 win over Nebraska Wesleyan

17 FEB 2010

Concordia University 71, Nebraska Wesleyan University 57 (view stats)

Dustin Weber scored 20 points, and Sam Huebner added a double-double of 13 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Concordia men’s basketball team to a 71-57 win over Nebraska Wesleyan on Wednesday evening in Seward. The Bulldogs snapped a five-game losing streak with the win and improved to 18-11 overall and 12-6 in the GPAC. Nebraska Wesleyan dropped to 10-14 overall and 8-9 in conference play with the loss.

Concordia hit 13-of-26 shots from the field in the opening half and took a 36-23 lead into halftime. Nebraska Wesleyan, on the other hand, was just 6-of-26 (0-of-7 from deep) in the first 20 minutes. The Bulldog bench held a 19-5 scoring advantage in the opening half. Concordia led by as many as 14 in the first half and settled for the 13-point halftime lead.

Nebraska Wesleyan started the second half on a 13-3 run to pull within three at 39-36 with just under 15 minutes remaining in the game. Concordia responded quickly. Huebner and Weber combined for the next 11 Bulldog points, and Concordia built the lead back to double digits. NWU got as close as eight down the stretch, but Concordia secured the 71-57 victory.

Weber finished with 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting from the field. He hit two 3-pointers and added four rebounds and two assists on the night. Huebner played just seven minutes in the first half due to foul trouble. He scored all 13 of his points and grabbed 14 rebounds in the second half of play.

“I have to hand it to Dustin,” commented Grant Schmidt, head coach of the Bulldogs. “We needed some solid guard play, and we had to have someone step up. Dustin really got into the heart of their defense throughout the game, and that was a huge boost for our offense. Hopefully this win will give us some momentum heading into the GPAC Tournament.”

For the game, Concordia was 21-of-48 from the field for 43.8 percent. The Bulldogs were 7-of-18 (38.9 percent) from long distance and 22-of-35 (62.9 percent) from the foul line in the win. The Bulldogs held a slim 43-41 rebounding advantage, and the Concordia bench totaled 23 points compared to just nine for the Prairie Wolves.

Nebraska Wesleyan was just 17-of-62 from the field for 27.4 percent. NWU was 3-of-22 (13.6 percent) from three point land and 20-of-29 (69 percent) from the charity stripe.

Concordia will compete in the GPAC Tournament starting next week. Official tournament pairings will be released on Saturday evening.

“We’ve had a tough run here lately,” said Concordia senior Dustin Weber. “We just need to find ways to win. There is no easy game in the GPAC, and there will not be an easy game in the GPAC Tournament. Heading into postseason play, we need to have the same energy and passion we played with tonight.”

Briar Cliff handles Concordia in quarterfinals of GPAC Tournament, 62-53

23 FEB 2010

Briar Cliff University 62, Concordia University 53 (view stats)

Briar Cliff University earned a 62-53 win over Concordia University in the quarterfinals of the GPAC Men’s Basketball Tournament on Thursday evening in Seward. The visiting Chargers improved to 23-8 overall and advanced to the semi-finals of the tournament with the win. Concordia ended the season at 18-12.

Both teams struggled offensively throughout the game. Both teams led by as many as five in the opening half, but neither team could find any offensive rhythm. Briar Cliff took a slim 27-24 lead into the break. The Chargers hit just 9-of-26 from the field, while the Bulldogs were just 8-of-29 from the field in the first 20 minutes.

Concordia pulled within one on multiple occasions early in the second half. However, Briar Cliff responded and rebuilt their lead to double figures with just over 10 minutes remaining in the contest. Concordia would get no closer than nine the rest of the way, and the Chargers settled for the 62-53 victory.

Both teams continued to struggle offensively in the second half. Briar Cliff was 9-of-25 from the floor, while Concordia was just 11-of-34 in the final 20 minutes. For the game, Briar Cliff was 18-of-51 overall from the field for 35.3 percent. The Chargers were 5-of-22 (22.7 percent) from three point land on the night. Concordia was 19-of-63 from the field for 30.2 percent on the night. The Bulldogs were just 4-of-17 from long range for 23.5 percent.

Both teams totaled 22 points in the paint. Concordia held a 14-7 advantage in points off turnovers and a 20-7 advantage in second chance points. Each team turned it over 12 times, but Briar Cliff had 16 assists to just eight for the Bulldogs. Free throw shooting was also a key factor in the outcome of the game. Even though Briar Cliff struggled from the field, the Chargers were 21-of-26 from the foul line for 80.8 percent. Concordia was just 11-of-20 from the charity stripe for 55 percent.

Chase Vander Feen scored 14 points to lead four players in double figures for the Chargers. Matt Geelan added 13 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three steals for BCU. Kyle Semprini and Eric Rohe each poured in 10 points for Briar Cliff.

Sam Huebner had a double-double of 14 points and 12 rebounds to lead the way for Concordia in the loss. However, Huebner was the only Bulldog in double figures. Dustin Weber scored eight points to go along with seven rebounds and a game-high five assists, and Andy Banahan added eight points and five boards for the Bulldogs.

Birtell earns Second Team All-GPAC honors

3 MAR 2010

View GPAC All-Conference Release

Four Concordia University men’s basketball players received conference honors Wednesday for their efforts in the 2009-10 season. Porter Birtell was named Second Team All-GPAC. Tyler Byrd, Sam Huebner and Dustin Weber were Honorable Mention All-GPAC selections.

Birtell, a freshman from Madison, had a solid freshman season for the Bulldogs. He averaged 11.6 points per game and 7.4 rebounds per game to rank second on the team in both categories. Birtell averaged a team-high 12.1 points per game during conference play. For the season, he was 116-of-201 from the field for a team-best 57.7 percent. His 84 offensive rebounds also led the team.

“It is pretty tough to come in as a freshman and gain the respect of the other coaches in the conference, so that is quite an accomplishment for Porter,” said Grant Schmidt, head coach of the Bulldogs. “He can continue to improve and help get us back to the National Tournament. It is evident that with continued commitment, he can have quite a career here.”

Byrd, a sophomore guard from Bennington, averaged 11.4 points and 3.2 rebounds per game for the Bulldogs this year. He led the team in minutes played and totaled a team-high 91 assists. He hit 59 3-pointers and added 20 steals on the season.

“Tyler had a very productive year,” commented Schmidt. “He made some big shots in January that won’t be forgotten.”

Huebner led the team in scoring and rebounding during his junior year. The forward from Colorado averaged 12 points per game and 8.2 rebounds per game for the Bulldogs this year. He connected on 121-of-257 shots from the field for 47.1 percent. He added 31 assists and 20 steals to go along with a team-high 29 blocks.

“Sam really had a better season than last year,” stated Schmidt. “He had some big games for us where his skills really shined, and he has the ability to be a First Team selection next year with a good offseason.”

Weber, a senior guard from Pierce, averaged 8.4 points and 3.0 rebounds per game for Concordia in 2009-10. He was third on the team with 54 assists. Weber consistently defended the best players on opposing teams and led the Bulldogs with 23 steals on the year.

“Dustin had a really good final few weeks of the season where he really led our team,” remarked Schmidt. “It was good to see him finish on such a strong note.”

Concordia finished the season with an overall record of 18-12 to go along with a 12-6 mark in conference play.

Byrd, Huebner and Birtell named to Omaha World Herald NAIA All-Nebraska Second Team

5 APR 2010

Concordia University had three players recognized by the Omaha World Herald over the weekend. Tyler Byrd, Sam Huebner and Porter Birtell were all named to the World Herald NAIA All-Nebraska Second Team.

Byrd was third on the team in scoring and led the team in assists in his sophomore season. The sophomore guard from Bennington was an Honorable Mention All-Conference selection.

Huebner led Concordia in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots during his junior season. He was also an Honorable Mention All-GPAC selection.

Birtell was second on the team in both scoring and rebounding in his freshman season for the Bulldogs. He led the team in scoring during conference play and shot a team-best 57.7 percent from the field in 2009-10. For his efforts, Birtell was a Second Team All-GPAC selection.

Concordia finished the season with a record of 18-12 to go along with a 12-6 mark in conference play.

Weber and Huebner named as scholar-athletes

14 APR 2010

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics has announced that 94 Division II men's basketball players have been named 2010 Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes. Concordia senior Dustin Weber and junior Sam Huebner were named to this year’s list.

Nominated by each institution's head coach, a student-athlete must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale and have achieved junior academic status to qualify. Weber (Pierce, Neb.) appeared in all 30 games and averaged 8.4 points per game and 2.6 rebounds per game in his final season for the Bulldogs. Huebner (Aurora, Colo.) led Concordia in both scoring and rebounding in his junior season.

Concordia was 18-12 overall and 12-6 in the GPAC this past season.

Men's Basketball

2009-2010 - Basketball schedule/results

18-12 Overall, 12-6 GPAC | Season Statistics

2009-10 Roster

Coaching Staff

Concordia selected eighth in GPAC season coaches' poll

Bulldogs open season with 1-1 record at Cornerstone Classic

Bulldogs suffer 88-74 loss to Life University in Lindenwood Classic

Concordia upsets No. 1 Robert Morris 75-71 in Lindenwood Classic

Schmidt's 400th win highlights impressive weekend for Bulldogs

Cold shooting costs Concordia in 69-65 loss to York College

Bulldogs conclude Cattle Classic with 77-69 win over Hannibal-LaGrange

Concordia opens GPAC play with dramatic 68-66 win over Mount Marty

Concordia pounds Midland 72-53 for third straight win

Concordia pulls away for 82-64 win over Doane College

Bulldogs suffer 78-64 loss to Dakota Wesleyan

Hastings College earns 71-61 win over Concordia

Concordia outlasts Northwestern 117-111 in four-overtime thriller

Huebner named GPAC Player-of-the-Week

Concordia to compete in 34th annual Tom Byron Classic

Concordia falls to Westmont College in Tom Byron Classic, 86-66

Concordia concludes play in Tom Byron Classic with 73-66 win over Westminster

Concordia earns 70-59 win over Dana College

Balanced attack leads Concordia to 83-75 win over Dordt College

Birtell named GPAC Player-of-the-Week

Birtell's late bucket lifts Concordia to 70-68 win over Nebraska Wesleyan

Concordia edges Morningside College, 75-73

Concordia escapes with 61-58 win over Midland for sixth straight victory

Byrd's late jumper gives Concordia 64-62 upset win over Briar Cliff

Concordia rallies to knock off Doane, 69-66

Concordia topples Concordia-Ann Arbor at Concordia Invitational Tournament for ninth straight win

Bulldogs upended by Concordia University Wisconsin, 91-73

Balanced scoring leads Hastings College to 89-75 win over No. 24 Concordia

Broughton, Bain lead No. 11 Dakota Wesleyan in 73-63 win over No. 24 Concordia

Hot outside shooting sparks Dana College in 84-77 win over Concordia

Sioux Falls stays perfect at home with 73-63 win over Concordia

Weber and Huebner lead the way in Concordia's 71-57 win over Nebraska Wesleyan

Briar Cliff handles Concordia in quarterfinals of GPAC Tournament, 62-53

Birtell earns Second Team All-GPAC honors

Byrd, Huebner and Birtell named to Omaha World Herald NAIA All-Nebraska Second Team

Weber and Huebner named as scholar-athletes