SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Concordia-St. Paul (4-17, 1-13 NSIC) fell behind 23-4 in the opening six-plus minutes in a 93-70 road loss at Sioux Falls (13-8, 9-5 NSIC) on Saturday evening at Stewart Center.

Sioux Falls native Sam Siganos led Concordia with 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting in his hometown. He also dropped in 3-of-5 three-point shooting

The Cougars made their first 10 shots including three from long range while Concordia started slow offensively at just 2-of-9 with three turnovers in the first six-plus minutes.

Concordia responded with a 7-0 run to climb back in the game before the Cougars dropped in three three-pointers during a 16-5 run for a 39-16 lead. The Cougars carried a 53-24 lead into the break and led by as many as 31 early in the second half.

In the first half, USF shot 71.4 percent (20-28) from the field and a blistering 64.3 percent (9-14) from the arc. While the Cougars converted some open looks from distance, the impressive shooting display also included multiple contested three-pointers on their home nets.

The rims were not as friendly to the visiting Golden Bears in the early going as CSP shot 30.4 percent (7-23) from the field and 22.2 percent (2-9) from distance in the half.

In the second half, Concordia looked to work its way back into the game, cutting the margin to 18 twice midway through (74-56 & 78-60) before narrowing the margin to 16 (81-65) but with just four minutes to play, the Bears were also playing against the clock.

Concordia was outscoring Sioux Falls by 13, 41-28 in the first 15 minutes of the second half.

Part of the process was slowing the Cougars down from the perimeter as USF made one of its first eight from deep before hitting two late three's in putting the game out of reach. USF finished hitting 50.0 percent (12-24) from three.

But while Concordia slowed USF from the arc, the Cougars were able to keep the safe lead by converting inside in making 75.0 percent (15-20) of their two-point shots and finished the night with a 50-20 margin in the paint.

Concordia's offense was more efficient in the second half, shooting 42.4 percent (14-33) from the field and sinking seven second half three-pointers at a 53.8 percent clip (7-13). Concordia also only turned the ball over twice in the second half after committing nine miscues in the first.

On the night, though, CSP shot 37.5 percent (21-56) from the floor overall which was out-paced by its three-point shooting (40.9 percent, 9-22).

One area Concordia was able to control the edge was the free throw line where CSP made 86.4 percent (19-22) while reaching the line 15 more times than the Cougars for a 14-point scoring margin. Bryndan Matthews was the biggest benefactor of free shots, hitting 9-of-10 for a 13-point, 5-rebound performance.

Joining Siganos and Matthews in double-figures for CSP were senior Diallo Powell and freshman Max Keefe with 10 points apiece. Junior Ahmad Newsome added a game-high nine rebounds off the bench.

Drew Guebert led Sioux Falls with 23 points on 5-8 three-point shooting while Clint Thomas added 19 points and Zach Wessels 18. Thomas and reserve guard Mack Johnson each went 3-5 from the arc, with Johnson scoring 11.

Wessels was 8-9 from the field, his only miss coming on his only three-point attempt. He added six rebounds, five assists and didn't turn the ball over.

The Golden Bears remain on the road next weekend, traveling north to Bemidji State and Minnesota Crookston on Friday and Saturday, respectively.