SEWARD, Neb. – Once final exams wrap up, the Concordia University men’s basketball team will then be able to set its sights on the Malika Sports Tours Hoop N Surf Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii. The program has not played a game in Hawaii since taking on the University of Hawaii on Dec. 27, 2001. As part of this weekend’s Hoop N Surf Classic, the Bulldogs will be matched up against MidAmerica Nazarene University (Kan.) on Saturday and Menlo College (Calif.) on Sunday.
Hoop N Surf Classic
Location: The Shark Tank | Hawai’i Pacific University
Saturday, Dec. 21 vs. MidAmerican Nazarene (7-4), 12 p.m. HT / 4 p.m. CT
--Live Webcast/Stats
Sunday, Dec. 22 vs. Menlo (5-3), 12 p.m. HT / 4 p.m. CT
--Live Webcast/Stats
The site of the annual classic is the home gym of Hawai’i Pacific University, an institution that is affiliated with NCAA Division II. Head coach Ben Limback has taken his teams to several warm locations around Christmastime in previous seasons. Some of those destinations have included West Palm Beach, Fla., Redding, Calif., Miami and Phoenix. The journey to Hawaii may be just what the current group needs after this past weekend’s 97-70 loss at No. 23 Mount Marty. Two road losses last week put Concordia at 7-4 overall (2-4 GPAC). The Bulldogs have won each of their five nonconference games.
A hot 3-point shooting night and the stout defensive work of Chuol Biel in the post was nearly enough to stun top-ranked Morningside last week in Sioux City, Iowa. A Brevin Sloup jumper with less than a minute-and-a-half remaining gave Concordia 71-70 lead it held into the final 10 seconds before two Mustang free throws made the difference. Carter Kent (5-for-5), Justin Wiersema (4-for-5) and Sloup (4-for-7) each knocked down four or more treys in the game. Kent finished with a team high 21 points. Defensively, Biel blocked six shots.
Through 11 games, the Bulldogs have relied more on the defensive end. Among GPAC squads, Concordia ranks third in both scoring defense (70.7) and in field goal percentage defense (.433). On the flip side, it has conference rankings of 10th in scoring offense (76.2) and ninth in field goal percentage offense (.447). Sloup (16.3), Kent (13.3) and Tanner Shuck (11.4) are each averaging double figures in scoring with Wiersema (9.0) not far off.
MidAmerica Nazarene is a member of the NAIA’s Heart of America Athletic Conference. While in Honolulu, the Pioneers will also be playing Hastings on Thursday. The program has accomplished a lot under head coach Rocky Lamar, an NAIA Hall of Fame member. Lamar has guided MNU to 18 national tournament appearances (won national title in 2007) since beginning his tenure there in 1986. The current team is 5-2 in league play and has been paced in scoring by freshman Antonio Brown (15.3). The Pioneers take care of the ball, ranking seventh nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio.
Menlo resides in the Golden State Athletic Conference of the NAIA. The Oaks are coming off a 13-14 overall mark in 2018-19 and are led by head coach Kaniela Aiona (fifth season). Menlo has been an efficient 3-point shooting squad, knocking down long range shots as a 40.6 percent clip. Like MNU, the Oaks will take on Hastings prior to playing Concordia. Senior John Paine (13.7) and sophomore Ross Williams (13.5) are neck and neck for the team scoring lead.
Following the Hoop N Surf Classic, the Bulldogs will host Peru State College on Dec. 28.
Projected Lineups
Concordia (7-4, 2-4 GPAC)
G – Brevin Sloup, Sr., 5-9 (16.3)
G – Justin Wiersema, So., 6-3 (9.0)
G – Carter Kent, So., 6-2 (13.3)
F – Tanner Shuck, Sr., 6-4 (11.4)
F – Chuol Biel, Sr., 6-8 (6.9)
MidAmerica Nazarene (7-4)
G – Trey Borwn, Jr., 5-11 (9.3)
G – Jake Alexander, Fr., 6-5 (6.6)
F – Anthony Brown, Fr., 6-5 (15.3)
F – Dante Scroggins, Sr., 6-7 (12.0)
C – Dakota Quinn, Sr., 6-9 (12.7)
Menlo (5-3)
G – Ross Williams, So., 5-9 (13.5)
G – N’Jai LeBlanc, Jr., 6-0 (10.3)
G – Jeremiah Testa, Sr., 6-3 (11.5)
F – John Paine, Sr., 6-6 (13.7)
F – Corey Le’aupepe, So., 6-6 (9.0)