Keep winning and the outsiders will have no choice but to pay attention. Such is the case for the 2023-24 Concordia Men’s Basketball team, which has had to earn its way onto the national radar with its unique roster makeup.
The string of three-straight GPAC road games continues this week as the Bulldogs are set to head to Crete and Sioux Center. Concordia enters the week tied atop the GPAC standings at 12-4 in league play.
Brad Bennett scored 20 of his career high 26 points after halftime and the return of Tristan Smith helped the Bulldogs dominate the boards as part of a 95-79 Super Bowl Sunday win at Dakota Wesleyan.
It's been a grind for the first-place Bulldogs, who have now won seven times in a 17-day stretch. The latest victory came at home over Dordt, 89-84, in another down-to-the-wire battle. Noah Schutte led the way with 21 points.
The layout of this week will be unusual as the Bulldogs will host Dordt on Monday night and then take a bit of a break before heading to the Corn Palace on Super Bowl Sunday. Concordia enters the week tied for first place in the GPAC.
The outcome remained in doubt until the final horn went off on Saturday (Feb. 3) as the Bulldogs wrapped up a thrilling week with an 84-81 win over No. 12 Northwestern. Concordia did so while celebrating 100 years of the program's history.
With circumstances seemingly favoring No. 19 Morningside, the Bulldogs showed their mettle and earned a signature road win, 99-88, on Wednesday (Jan. 31). Concordia shot 58.6 percent while winning at Morningside for the first time since February 2016.
After posting three-straight double-doubles while leading the Bulldogs to a 3-0 week, Tristan Smith has been named the GPAC Player of the Week. Smith is averaging 17.9 points and 9.5 rebounds on the season.
With the CIT trophy secured for another year, the Bulldogs now shift focus to a week of significance within the GPAC. Coach Limback's squad will be at Morningside before hosting Northwestern for a program 100-year celebration.
Late fireworks from the likes of CIT MVP Noah Schutte and Tristan Smith boosted the Bulldogs to a 75-69 win over Concordia Wisconsin in the CIT championship on Saturday (Jan. 27). Schutte and Smith both notched double-doubles.
The 65th annual Concordia Invitational Tournament tips off Jan. 29 at Concordia University Chicago. Both Bulldog teams will vie for their 26th all-time CIT titles.
Young and inexperienced proved a theme for the Bulldogs during head coach Ben Limback’s first season at the helm of the program in 2013-14. That’s no longer the case.