The Gustavus men’s basketball team fell to 4-2 in the MIAC with a 69-57 loss at Concordia on Wednesday night. The Cobbers used a 11-0 run early in the second half to build a 43-33 lead with 12:37 left to play. The Gusties would get no closer than eight points the rest of the game. Trevor Wittwer led Gustavus in scoring with 13 points.
The Gusties struggled against the aggressive Cobber defense all night long committing a season high 25 turnovers and shooting a chilly 38.9 percent (21-54) from the field.
Gustavus stayed close throughout the entire first half with neither team holding a lead larger than four points in the first ten minutes of play. The Cobbers held the biggest lead of the half at seven points (24-17) at the 4:12 mark. The Gusties outscored Concordia 8-2 in the final four minutes to pull within a point at 26-25 at the intermission.
Cold shooting (37.0 percent, 10-27) and 14 turnovers doomed the Gusties in the second half. The Cobbers on the other hand, shot a red hot 59.1 percent (13-of -22) from the field and made 15-of-20 from the free throw line in the final 20 minutes to claim their third consecutive win.
Concordia’s victory was only its third over the Gusties in the last eight years. All three wins have taken place in Moorhead.
The Gusties next game will be Saturday at 3:00 pm at home against first place St. Thomas, while the Cobbers will stay home and host Bethel on Saturday.