#6 Concordia set for key GPAC matchup with #5 Morningside on Saturday
Concordia University and Morningside College meet up on Saturday for a top-10 matchup in Sioux City. The 6th-ranked Bulldogs and 5th-ranked Mustangs square off at 2 p.m. on Saturday in what will be a key battle in the GPAC standings. Concordia and Morningside are part of a 4-way tie at the top of the GPAC standings. Concordia, Morningside, Briar Cliff, and Northwestern all have 8-2 marks in GPAC play heading into the weekend.
The Bulldogs moved to 15-2 on the year following a 59-47 win over 14th-ranked Hastings College on Wednesday evening. Kristen Conahan and Amber Kistler combined for 36 points, while the Bulldog defense limited Hastings College to just 16-of-58 shooting from the field (27.6 percent). Hastings had 21 turnovers in the contest, while Concordia had just 10 turnovers in the victory.
Last meeting - Earlier this season, Morningside handed Concordia its first loss of the season (69-66) in a game played in Seward. A 3-point play by Shelby Beaudette with just 16 seconds remaining in the contest lifted the visiting Mustangs to the victory. The Bulldogs struggled from the field in the loss, hitting just 20-of-71 shots overall (28.2 percent) and 5-of-29 shots from deep (17.2 percent). Kistler scored a team-best 14, while Conahan chipped in with 13. Katie Rich had a double-double of 10 points and 15 rebounds. Beaudette and Hanna Blum combined for 38 points for Morningside in the victory.
Scouting the Mustangs – Morningside has won three of their last four games and is coming off a 68-59 win over Mount Marty on Wednesday. The Mustangs have GPAC losses to Hastings College (54-50) and Briar Cliff (97-84). Morningside averages 75.6 points per game (3rd-GPAC) while allowing 64.8 points per game (7th-GPAC). Chelsie Trask ranks sixth in the GPAC with 14.9 points per game. Leann Osten adds 10.3 points per game on the year for the Mustangs. Morningside has four straight wins over Concordia.
Broadcast - Morningside provides live audio and/or video broadcasts as well as live stats for most women's and men's basketball games. The broadcasts and live stats can be accessed through the Morningside athletic website (bottom of the page) at http://www.morningside.edu/mustangs/index.htm.
Up next – Concordia hosts Midland University on January 17. Tip is scheduled for 8 p.m. at the Walz Human Performance Complex.