(Seward, NE) Concordia University Ann Arbor Men's Basketball took on Concordia University Wisconsin (CUW) in the first round of the 70th annual Concordia Invitational Tournament (CIT) Friday. The Cardinals jumped out to a 10-point lead early in the game, but were unable to maintain it as they fell 80-68 in the end.
Kip French led the Cardinals with a season high 22 points and Zackary Johnson tallied 10 points and a team leading 9 rebounds. Nate Brighton had a career high and team leading 4 assists.
Matt Lockhart drew first blood with a score from downtown following a Kip French steal on the other end. French than sank his own shot from deep with a man in his face to get the lead to six. Zac Clark and Zackary Johnson both scored on reverse layups, but CUW hit a pair of triples to keep it within seven. The teams began to exchange threes, with Johnson hitting one for CUAA. The Falcons kept chipping away at the Cardinals advantage until with six minutes remaining in the half, they took a one-point lead. CUW had the lead as big as six, but Kip French hit a three to pull within three points. The Falcons grew the lead back to eight before the end of the half.
A Matt Lockhart no-look pass to a cutting Colton Ritsema opened up the scoring in the second half. Kip French sank a three from the top of the arc and then again in the corner to tie the game up at 45. The Falcons went on an 11-0 run shortly after that, but it was French once again with a three to cut into the lead. The baskets continued to fall for CUW though, and the Cardinals found themselves down double digits for much of the half. That changed when French had a steal and went coast to coast for the score. Time was not on the Cardinals' side as they were forced to foul to work against the clock, but it was too little, too late as Wisconsin went on to win 80-68.
The Cardinals will now face off against the loser of the Chicago and Nebraska game, in the consolation game Saturday at 3:00.
