SEWARD, Neb. – While honoring a four-player senior class in its regular season home finale, Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Basketball struggled to match the energy brought by Mount Marty. The Lancers shot 51.7 percent from the floor and spoiled the evening, handing the Bulldogs an 83-72 defeat on Wednesday (Feb. 18). Concordia found itself trailing by as many as 15 points during the second half inside a muted Friedrich Arena.
Head Coach Ben Limback’s squad has dropped three straight games and will carry a 10-9 league mark (16-11 overall) into the last road trip of the regular season.
“That was disappointing,” Limback said. “A lot of credit to Mount Marty. They’re playing really confident. You could see that in the first half. We were guarding them okay in the first half … The toughest, most confident team won tonight. I thought we would respond better after last game. I loved Garrett Grandgenett. He did some great things tonight off the bench and played his role really well. It just felt like with every momentum play we got, they had an answer.”
Limback turned to players like Grandgenett and Peyton Brown as the Bulldogs attempted to find a spark. Successive buckets from Grandgenett (layup at 10:08) and Brown (trey at 9:23) initiated a 10-2 run that got Concordia back within 71-64 with more than six minutes remaining. However, the Lancers were cool customers on the road and sealed the game by preventing the Bulldogs from notching a field goal over the game’s closing three minutes.
Mount Marty is one of the few teams that has managed to contain Brooks Kissinger. The star junior guard posted 10 points (3-for-7 from the floor) and committed six of the team’s 12 turnovers. Three of his teammates also reached double figures in scoring: Dane Jacobsen (15), Zac Kulus (13) and Jaxon Stueve (10). In 13 solid minutes, Grandgenett notched six points and two rebounds.
Sutton Arend led the way for the Lancers (15-11, 13-7 GPAC) with a game-high 23 points on 9-for-13 shooting from the floor. He was backed by 17 points from Jake Jensen. Mount Marty enjoyed a 47-40 halftime advantage and led for the vast majority of the night. The Lancers will take a three-game win streak into the postseason and have locked up a top three seed for the GPAC tournament.
The highlight of the evening happened prior to tipoff for the Bulldogs as they recognized their seniors: MJ Coffey, Tyler Harre, Zac Kulus and Logan Wilson. The four-year varsity contributors have been part of national tournament teams in each of the previous three seasons. They’ll be tasked with helping this squad regroup before Saturday.
Said Limback, “It’s a disappointed locker room. We told them, there’s some greatness in there. We have to be tougher and find ways to make those toughness plays.” Added Limback of the senior class, “They’re all special individually. They mean a lot to our program.”
Saturday’s slate will finish the regular season around the GPAC. The Bulldogs will be headed to Hastings (8-19, 7-12 GPAC) for a 3:45 p.m. CT tipoff inside Lynn Farrell Arena. Concordia will attempt to avenge the 75-57 loss handed to it by the Broncos on Jan. 14. Hastings defeated Doane at the buzzer, 61-58, on Wednesday.