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.
