PHOTO GALLERY
ST. PAUL, Minn. - A three-pointer by senior forward
Nick Mabbutt (Milton Keynes, UK) put Concordia-St. Paul ahead 71-60 with 4:03 to play over Waldorf College. The host Golden Bears (2-7) would hold on for a 76-70 win over the visiting Warriors (4-7) to snap a five game skid on Wednesday night at Gangelhoff Center.
The three-pointer by Mabbutt was his third of the season and was the dagger at the end of a 14-4 run that turned a one-point game with 11:24 to play into a double-digit lead for the home team.
Mabbutt had seven points during the run including a dunk off of a nice feed from sophomore
Cole Olstad (Elgin, Minn.). Mabbutt finished with 13 points off 6-of-8 shooting in 17 minutes off the bench, adding a pair of blocks and four rebounds. Olstad led the team on the glass with five rebounds and had a nice all-around night with four assists, six steals and 14 points in 37 minutes of work. He scored 10 of his 14 before the break and finished 6-of-12 from the floor.
Concordia held the upper hand for most of the first half as well, pulling up by nine, 35-26 after Olstad delivered a three-pointer with 6:08 to play. Waldorf stormed back, though, forcing a 38-all tie five minutes later and would go ahead 41-40 going into the half. The closely played first half featured five ties and four lead changes.
The second half started slow for the Golden Bears but Waldorf was unable to build on its one point halftime lead, only getting ahead by three points, 49-46 just over three and a half minutes into the second half.
Concordia rallied with a seven-point run and a defensive switch to a zone defense would help limit the Warriors' down the stretch.
The final tally saw the game register five ties and 10 lead changes but the Golden Bears led for the final 15:14 of play when an
Isaiah Thomas (Fridley, Minn.) three-pointer put them ahead 51-49.
The Golden Bears were led by sophomore playmaking point guard
Terez VanPelt (Osseo, Minn.) with 22 points on 7-of-16 shooting and 7-of-9 foul shooting. VanPelt also dished out five assists while playing 40 minutes.
Concordia was able to pick up the win despite hitting just 6-of-20 from long range and an uncharacteristic 66.7% (12-18) at the line. Entering play, the Golden Bears were converting 41.0% from three and 75.0% from the line. Concordia was also out-rebounded 41-27 including 12-to-5 on the offensive end but CU limited Waldorf to just six second chance points.
Concordia's defense forced 20 turnovers, while it committed just 10 which led to a 19-8 scoring margin off turnovers.
The Golden Bears are now off until the New Year, and will play the final 17 games of the regular season in Northern Sun play beginning with a Jan. 4-5 road trip to Wayne State and Augustana, respectively.