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.
