MBB: Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference

[RFMichigan]

at Cal Lutheran 79, CUC 61, Cougars now 8-1.

On paper, a ninth straight win for CUC looked favorable, but the Cougars were sub-par in a few key areas in suffering their first loss.

The Kingsmen won on the glass 37-26. Fourteen of those boards were on the offensive end, resulting in 19 second-chance points. The Cougars lost the turnover battle 15-12, with the Kingsmen holding an 18-12 advantage in points off TOs. Finally, Cougars shot a chilling 6-26 from long range.

Jacob Collicott was only Cougar in double figures with 14 points while Jordan Matthews had a quiet night with seven points. Normal starter Brent Hatten did not play tonight, and the Cougars missed his 12.0 points and 3.8 rebounds.

The Cougars will try to start a new winning streak tomorrow night when they play Whittier College.

CUC doesn't really have a "post player" in their starting line-up, but Hatten comes the closest to what a post player will do. He's solidly built and usually takes the opponent's post-up guy (if they have one) on defense and does have some post-up ability of his own although he is primarily a perimeter player with a good three-point shot. I thought Cal Lutheran did a really nice job of using their post player both as a scoring option, a kick-out/assist guy, and an offensive rebounder. CUC got hammered on the boards - the 37-26 margin was much worse through through the first 30 minutes and I'm not sure Hatten changes that. At that point Cal Lutheran started hitting their threes and it was all she wrote for the Cougars win streak.

The first half was a back-and-forth affair, but when Matthews went out with a leg issue Cal Lutheran grabbed the lead which they held at half at three. He was noticably limping in the second half.

Cal Lutheran really took advantage of their second chances - I was impressed with them overall but especially on the glass. CUC looked like team that didn't have answers to their opponent's defense and was frustrated. If CUC's threes aren't falling they are in trouble.
 

[Second Wind]

Whittier 87, CUC 83, Cougars now 8-2.

I believe the above is correct. Trying to follow the Cal Lutheran broadcast of this neutral site game was extremely aggravating. No video at all, live stats had CUC names listed as Whittier players and vice versa.

As for on the floor, no Brent Hatten or Jordan Matthews tonight. Cougars were 9-29 on threes and missed some free throws down the stretch too.

Hoping the Cougars get healthy and can work through their difficulties as they return to conference play next week.

[RFMichigan]

Whittier 87, CUC 83, Cougars now 8-2.

I believe the above is correct. Trying to follow the Cal Lutheran broadcast of this neutral site game was extremely aggravating. No video at all, live stats had CUC names listed as Whittier players and vice versa.

As for on the floor, no Brent Hatten or Jordan Matthews tonight. Cougars were 9-29 on threes and missed some free throws down the stretch too.

Hoping the Cougars get healthy and can work through their difficulties as they return to conference play next week.

I must have been up too late because I was trying to figure out why CUC was playing some of their usual bench guys as much as they were; I totally missed the fact that Matthews was not on the floor. Also, besides Hatten not playing, Elijah White did not appear in tonight's game either.

Guys like Kieren Heller did an admirable job filling in minutes, but Whittier, a team that takes a LOT of threes (The Poets average 30 treys a game.) went 12-26 from deep - a 46% average (where they usually average 31%). It just seemed that Concordia had to really work for their points and Whittier found a lot of holes in Concordia's zone defense (which they went to quite a bit). Also, yeah, free throws.

By the way, the video was there but was found under the day's previous game - the Cal Lutheran-Luther contest (although I did not discover this until halftime).

Not a great showing in California for the Cougars. I just don't think they are a truly deep team, and missing one starter - much less two - is a tough hill for them to climb. Hopefully they can get healthy by the time conference play resumes.

[sncdangler]

CUC postpones games Tuesday and now tomorrow. Do the CUC posters in here know what's going on?

[Second Wind]

Dangler, I wish I knew, but I'm in the dark too. Privacy issues being what they are these days, I'm not sure we'll ever know. CUC has home game v Dominican scheduled for Tuesday and making up more than two games would make for a logistical mess.

[Greek Tragedy]

I wonder if they could just cancel their trip to Nebraska for the "Concordia" games. Ironically, Concordia WI is also playing that, so they could play 1/27 vs Lakeland and Concordia WI 1/28. That would require Lakeland playing Friday and Saturday. Both would be at home though.

[sncdangler]

Players needing to be hospitalized after a workout seems to be a fairly uncommon occurence these days.

https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/concordia-basketball-players-sick-after-workout/

[cjnick12]

Players needing to be hospitalized after a workout seems to be a fairly uncommon occurence these days.

https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/concordia-basketball-players-sick-after-workout/

My son just sent this to me.  Not a good situation, and they had a good start to the year.

[Greek Tragedy]

Wow. Obviously, the most important thing is the players' health. This may result in some forfeits if they can't find times to play these games and these postponed games could go into next week. That coach could be in be trouble as well.

[Greek Tragedy]

D3 made ESPN.com

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/35398189/division-iii-team-postpones-two-games-5-players-hurt-workout

[Next Man Up]

Wow. Obviously, the most important thing is the players' health. This may result in some forfeits if they can't find times to play these games and these postponed games could go into next week. That coach could be in be trouble as well.

Head Coach Steve Kollar has been "temporarily removed" from the program. Assistant coach Rahsaan Surles has been named interim coach.

[Next Man Up]

It seems that earlier today Benedictine removed Jordan Townsend's interim tag and named him as their full time Head Coach. This is Townsend's first year leading the Eagles after suddenly being named interim head this summer after long time HC Keith Bunkenburg was suddenly immediately dismissed. With no previous head coaching experience, and a 6-8 record, it seems somewhat odd BU didn't wait until the end of the season, and then conduct a national search as is usually done, or at least wait to season's end before removing the interim tag.

[Greek Tragedy]

According to CUC's website, this weekend's game is also postponed to go along with the 3 already postponed. I wonder if there is anyway to makeup these games.

[WUPHF]

The Concordia University Chicago (full, official, legal name) athletics website is still advertising the weekend events scheduled in conjunction with the game.  As for the games, the NACC website indicates that the games have been forfeited.

https://naccsports.org/standings.aspx?path=mbball

[Greek Tragedy]

Doesn't matter what the official name is. Greg Sager considers it Concordia (IL) because it's in River Forest, not Chicago...and what Sager says, goes.

Anyway, their schedule page says the Marian game tomorrow is postponed. It's too bad that Lakeland, Concordia WI, Dominican and Marian all lose out on this as well.