SEWARD, Neb. – A 12-game winning streak follows the Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Basketball team into a week that allows for some rest and recovery. The 13th-ranked Bulldogs will be idle in the middle of this week before heading to Orange City, Iowa, on Saturday for an anticipated matchup with No. 16 Northwestern. Head Coach Ben Limback’s squad breezed to victories last week at Midland, 98-73, and at home over Waldorf, 97-63. Those results have moved the overall record to 19-4 (12-3 GPAC) with five games remaining in the regular season.
This Week
Wednesday, Feb. 5 – Bye
Saturday, Feb. 8 at No. 16 Northwestern (20-3, 12-3 GPAC), 3:45 p.m.
--104.9 Max Country | Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Bultman Center (Orange City, Iowa)
By the numbers
· The 12-game winning streak has resulted in Concordia soaring from a rankings perspective. The Bulldogs leapt from a “receiving votes” team to No. 13 in the NAIA coaches’ poll released on Jan. 29. In the official poll, Concordia has teetered-tottered throughout the year having been ranked as high as No. 9 on Nov. 13 before not receiving a single vote on Dec. 11. In the official NAIA RPI updated on Monday (Feb. 3), the Bulldogs checked in at No. 18 with a strength of schedule rating of 43rd. Concordia was placed atop the NAIA North-Central ARC Ratings back on Jan. 21. A new set of ARC Ratings is scheduled to be unveiled on Tuesday.
· The race for the GPAC regular season title may include up to four contenders (with Dakota Wesleyan also lurking in fifth place with a 9-5 league record). Those teams are Dordt (13-2), Concordia (12-3), Northwestern (12-3) and Morningside (11-4). The picture could become clearer by week’s end as the slate features Northwestern at Dordt on Wednesday and Concordia at Northwestern on Saturday. Meanwhile, Morningside has two home games against teams situated at the bottom of the GPAC standings. As things stand entering the week, the GPAC appears well-positioned to land five teams in the national tournament field.
· In last week’s action, the Bulldogs flexed their muscles against two overmatched opponents. Collectively in those two wins, Concordia shot 55.9 percent from the floor and 47.2 percent from 3-point range. Four Bulldogs averaged in double figures last week: Tristan Smith (17.0), Noah Schutte (16.5), Jaxon Stueve (15.5) and Brooks Kissinger (13.0). Neither Schutte or Smith played more than 47 total minutes as Concordia won by games handily. Defensively, Stueve led the charge in helping limit Midland/Waldorf to 41.3 percent shooting from the floor and 30.0 percent shooting from the perimeter.
· Throughout the win streak, only a single game has been decided by a single-digit margin. That contest was an 84-80 overtime win at Briar Cliff on Jan. 11. On average, the Bulldogs have outscored their opponents, 90.8 to 67.3, during the 12-game streak. The stretch includes signature home wins over No. 3 Northwestern and No. 11 Dordt as well as a CIT championship won on the home floor of Concordia Ann Arbor. Additionally, Tristan Smith has been utterly dominant during the stretch with averages of 20.9 points and 8.2 rebounds per game and a shooting percentage of 76.7 (99-for-129). During the streak, the Bulldogs have shot 55.7 percent compared to 41.6 percent for their opponents.
· No other player in the GPAC has the skillset possessed by Smith. Beyond the numbers, the 6-foot-5 Smith can guard 1 through 5 and play the point in transition. Among GPAC players, Smith ranks first in field goal percentage (.709), second in blocks (1.6), fourth in rebounding (7.9), fifth in scoring (20.0), sixth in assists (4.0) and eighth in steals (1.8). As Limback put it recently, Smith is putting together one of the best seasons he’s ever seen in his time as a coach. From a career perspective, Smith has totaled 1,360 points, 653 rebounds, 200 assists, 116 blocked shots and 102 steals in 102 games. This past weekend, Tristan passed his brother Gage (1,355 points) for 15th on the program’s all-time scoring list. Fellow star Noah Schutte has run his school record scoring total to 2,203 and has moved to No. 3 on the program’s all-time rebound list with 885.
· Freshman Elijah Gaeth became the seventh different Bulldog to start a game this season when he found his way into the lineup versus Waldorf. Gaeth replaced Hayden Frank (injury), who was sidelined for the first time this season. Four Concordia players have started all 23 games, Schutte, Smith, Stueve and Brad Bennett. A senior from Elkhorn, Neb., Bennett could be next in line to reach 1,000 career points. His career total stands at 912 points in 89 games in a Bulldog uniform. As for Gaeth, he figures to be a major part of the future in Concordia’s backcourt. He has averaged 4.3 points and 2.4 assists per game as a rookie.
Concordia Projected Starting Five
G – Brad Bennett, 6-1 (10.6)
G – Hayden Frank, 6-2 (7.2)
G – Jaxon Stueve, 6-4 (8.7)
F – Noah Schutte, 6-4 (16.3)
F – Tristan Smith, 6-5 (20.0)
The opponent
Northwestern opened this season at 17-0 before suffering three-straight losses from Jan. 15-22. Those defeats came at the hands of Dordt (home), Concordia (away) and Morningside (home), the other top contenders for the GPAC regular season title. The Red Raiders have been ranked as high as No. 3 in the NAIA coaches’ poll and are currently sitting at No. 16. The three premier players in the Northwestern lineup are the Van Kalsbeek brothers, Alex and Jesse, and freshman guard Jalen Langsy. Both Van Kalsbeeks rank in the top five of the GPAC in scoring average. Earlier this season, Alex became the program’s all-time leading scorer. Since the run of three-straight losses, the Red Raiders have steadied themselves with three-consecutive victories, coming over Mount Marty, Briar Cliff and Doane. This will be a monumental week for Northwestern, which will be at Dordt on Wednesday. Successful seasons are nothing new for Head Coach Kris Korver, who has led the Red Raiders to two national championships and 15 combined GPAC titles during his 25-year tenure. Concordia has won 10 of the past 13 meetings with Northwestern. The Bulldogs won this season’s first meeting, 85-70, in Seward on Jan. 18.
Northwestern Projected Starting Five
G – Kaleb Booth, 6-0 (9.7)
G – Jalen Langsy, 6-0 (16.3)
F – Zach LaFave, 6-5 (7.8)
F – Alex Van Kalsbeek, 6-6 (21.6)
F – Jesse Van Kalsbeek, 6-6 (20.0)
Next week
The Bulldogs will get back to playing two conference games next week as they are slated to be at Hastings on Feb. 12 before hosting Dakota Wesleyan on Feb. 15. Concordia will attempt to earn season sweeps of both opponents.