(Ann Arbor, MI) - The 72nd annual Concordia Invitational tournament kicked off on Friday afternoon and the Concordia Cardinals Men's Basketball team played in the fourth and final game of Friday. It was a back and forth battle between the Cardinals and the visiting Falcons from Concordia Wisconsin. Senior Jason Jergens sent the Falcons home with a buzzer-beater three point shot to send CUAA to the championship on Saturday.
Jason Jergens and Ray Washington-Battle led the charge for the Cardinals with 17 points offensively. Washington-Battle led the team with seven rebounds while Mason Canfield recorded 10 assists.
Washington-Battle tallied the first points for the Cardinals with a layup. The two teams continued to trade baskets as CUAA recorded scores from Mason Canfield, Colby Chapman, and Jason Jergens with the later two adding a three. Jack Olis recorded a bucket for a three-point Cardinal lead. CUW got the lead up to six points before back-to-back Washington-Battle baskets inched CUAA closer.
Three free throws from Jack Olis and another three from Jergens brought the Falcon lead to four. Chapman recorded the final five points in the half as the Cardinals went into the half with a 7-point deficit.
The Cardinals came out firing right away in the second half as Jergens opened the scoring followed by a pair of Mark DeVries layups to close the gap to 1. Washington-Battle gave CUAA the lead as the back and forth shooting began. Jergens and Olis added two threes for a slim three-point lead.
Chapman added a pair of baskets half way through the period as CUAA reclaimed the lead from the Falcons. Washington-Battle made a free throw as the Cardinals went down a point. CUW would call a timeout with 11 seconds remaining on the shot clock and 28 left in the game. Olis recorded a steal on CUW's ensuing drive to the basket and the Cards called a timeout.
The final 18 seconds saw CUAA's Jason Jergens miss his first three attempt before Mason Canfield rebounded and passed it back to Jergens who drilled the game-winner at the buzzer.
��A storybook ending to the CUAA vs. CUW rivalry!��
— Concordia Cardinals (@CUAACardinals) January 25, 2025
Playing in their final season, @CUAAHoops sends Concordia Wisconsin to the consolation game by way of a @JasonJergens4 buzzer beater and will face CUNE in the championship tomorrow!@ESPNAssignDesk @NAIAHoopsReport #SCTop10 pic.twitter.com/2s11urqFAh
‼️THIS IS WHAT YOU DREAM OF AT CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY ANN ARBOR‼️@cuaa @CUAAHoops @ESPNAssignDesk #SCTop10 pic.twitter.com/Aan3s24WFi
— Concordia Cardinals (@CUAACardinals) January 25, 2025
The Cardinals will be back in action in the Championship game tomorrow night against Concordia Nebraska at 8 PM.
