ST. PAUL, Minn. - Concordia-St. Paul second year freshman forward
Lindsey Becher set the CSP single game record with 11 blocked shots in a 67-65 win over Southwest Minnesota State on Friday night at Gangelhoff Center.
Becher had a strong all-around performance, missing a triple-double by two rebounds as she went for 21 points, 11 blocks, eight rebounds while adding a pair of assists and steals. It was part of a team single-game record 15 blocked shots as CSP held SMSU to just 31.4 percent (22-70) from the floor and outscored the Mustangs 36-26 in the paint.
Becher broke a nearly 40-year old record of 10 blocks held by Cheryl Senchal against St. Theresa's set in the 1982-83 season, while the 15 team blocks topped the 2013-14 record of 14 in the NCAA Division II national quarterfinal (Elite Eight) against Nova Southeastern (Fla.) on March 25, 2014.
Concordia improves to 8-2 overall and 4-2 in the Northern Sun while the Mustangs fall to 7-3 (4-2 NSIC). Concordia will host Sioux Falls (8-4, 4-2 NSIC) on Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. in the final game before the semester break.
The Golden Bears are now 44-17 all-time against SMSU and have won 40 of the last 43 in the series while going 12-1 against the Mustangs under head coach
Amanda Johnson (2016-present) and have won 23 straight against SMSU at Gangelhoff Center dating back to January 4, 2002.
The game's pace was built on early scoring runs on each side as Concordia took its first substantial lead following an 11-0 spurt to claim a 13-5 lead midway through the first quarter. SMSU countered by scoring the next 12 points to carry a 17-13 lead at the quarter break.
Concordia took control from there, scoring the next eight points to reclaim the lead as part of an 11-2 stretch of play to go back on top 24-19 and headed into halftime leading by double-digits, 38-27.
In the first half, Becher had seven blocked shots and 12 points while leading all players with a +14 in her 14-plus minutes of play while the team had 11 first half blocked shots. The strong inside defensive presence forced the Mustangs to shoot just 25.0 percent (10-40) from the field and 25.0 percent (3-12) from the arc while the Golden Bears countered by hitting at a 46.7 percent (14-30) pace from the field while draining the same number of three's (3) in half as many attempts (6).
In the second half, Concordia continued to consistently hold its lead as
Jadyn Hanson's jumper gave the Golden Bears a 59-50 lead with just under five minutes to play. Hanson finished with 11 points on the night.
But a game that started with pendulum style runs back-and-forth saw SMSU swing it back their way one more time as the Mustangs scored the next eight points in a minute and a half stretch of play to make it a one point game with 3:14 to go as Sam Wall knocked down her fifth three-pointer of the night. Wall finished with 19 points on 5-6 three-point shooting off the bench for SMSU.
With under two minutes to play, Wall wouldn't get a look at a three-pointer and instead found Jenna Borchers for a three-pointer to put the Mustangs ahead 62-61 with 1:42 left. It was SMSU's first lead since 17-16 early in the second quarter (8:43).
Down the stretch, sophomore forward
Sydney Zgutowicz made an impact for Concordia, finding Becher for a layup on the next possession to reclaim the lead before grabbing a defensive rebound on the other end after a Golden Bear stop with unde ra minute to play.
On the offensive end after CSP drained the shot clock, Zgutowicz claimed an offensive rebound and drove right back to the rim for a lay-in for a three-point lead (65-62) with 27 seconds to play.
When the Mustangs' Sadie Selter buried a contested 30-footer to tie the game at 65 with 13 seconds left, the Golden Bears turned back to Zgutowicz on the offensive end, slicing through line on
Riley Wheatcraft's feed and finishing with a second to go for the victory.
Zgutowicz joined Becher in the double-double club for the game, her second in a row with 14 points and 10 rebounds, adding two assists and a blocked shot. She had six points and five rebounds in the fourth quarter.
Junior point guard
Meghan DuBois led the Golden Bear offense with seven assists, adding eight points. The bench was led by redshirt freshman
Alyssa Daugherty with six points (all at the stripe) while freshman
Megan Gamble produced three blocked shots, six rebounds and a pair of steals.
Concordia shot 41.4 percent (24-58) from the floor and out-rebounded the Mustangs 44-39.
The Golden Bear defense held SMSU leading scorer Meleah Reinhart to 5-of-15 shooting and 11 points.
