(Lansing, MI) - The Concordia Men's Basketball team returned from the Christmas Break on Wednesday afternoon, taking on the Great Lakes Christian Crusaders in a matchup on the road. The game was a back-and-forth battle that saw x different lead changes, as the Crusaders eventually walked away with the 75-72 win.
The Cardinals finished with four players in double digits, as Matt Lockhart (19) and Kip French (14) led the way offensively, while Zac Clark (12) and Colton Ritsema (10) provided scoring off the bench.
The Crusaders started the game on a 12-0 run off of 4 made threes, prompting a Concordia timeout. The Cardinals would finally get on the board with a Colton Ritsema made layup. CUAA would stay within striking distance, guiding the way for a 16-0 Cardinal run to give Concordia their first lead of the night with 6:26 to go in the 1st half. The Cards would extend to their largest lead of the opening frame when a pair of Matt Lockhart free throws put them up 29-25 with 2:55 to go in the half. Great Lakes Christian would respond with 4 points straight to end the half with both sides knotted at 29.
The Crusaders opened the second half on a quick 8-2 run to hold a 6-point advantage just over 3 minutes into the final frame of regulation, and would grow their lead to as many as 9 when they went up 47-38 with 13:37 to go in the half. Concordia would claw their way back into the contest, tying the matchup at 56 on a Zac Clarke layup with 7:38 left. The Cardinals would take their first lead of the second half on a Kip French layup at the 5:57 mark, and would make an 8-0 run to put themselves up 69-63 with 2:44 to go in the contest. GLCC followed up with a 9-point run of their own, going up 72-69 with 19 seconds left. After a Clarke made layup and a miss on the free throw line for the Crusaders, Matt Lockhart would sink a shot at the line to cut the deficit to one, but the Cardinals would be unable to pull out the victory, as Great Lakes Christian made two more free throws and won by a final line of 75-72.
The Cardinals will return home for their final contest of 2022 when they take on the Holy Cross Saints on Friday, December 30th. Tipoff is set for 3:00 PM at the Cardinal Fieldhouse in Ann Arbor, MI.
