Was down in St. Peter on this Thursday night to take in the MIAC semifinal playoff clash between the visiting Concordia-Moorhead Cobbers (the #3 seed) and host Gustavus Adolphus (the #2 seed). Concordia had been enjoying a good streak coming down the stretch of the regular season; winning ten of their last twelve games - and knocking off Bethel at home in the Quarterfinals Tuesday night. The Gusties faltered somewhat coming down the stretch of the regular season but were able to right the ship against Bethel in the last regular-season home game and had long since locked up the number two seed but the Cobbers would be a tough test.
It was the Gusties who were able to hold the edge in the opening minutes of the first half. Sophomore Eli Benz finished in transition at the 18:56 mark and then scored inside at the 18:24 mark for a 4-0 Gustavus lead. Lanky sophomore post Abby Rothenbuehler upped the Gustie lead to 6-2 by the 16:42 mark with her jumper as the shot clock expired. The Gusties would keep the Cobbers at bay over the next few minutes before Concordia was finally able to tie things up at 14-all on junior Tricia Sorensen's two freebies. The Gusties again responded; creating a four-point cushion as senior PG Colleen Ruane made one of her trademark steals and made a lay-up and senior Molly Geske was able to connect with a jumper in the lane at the 7:25 mark. But right back came this up-and-coming Concordia squad. Sophomore guard Erika Jossart (younger sister of former Cobber Brittany Jossart) knocked down a "3" from the right wing at the 6:57 mark and then reserve senior post Andrea Benjamin put the Cobbers into the lead at 19-18 as she scored inside at the 5:48 mark. The Gustie offense had temporarily slowed and Concordia was able to take advantage somewhat as starting sophomore post, 6'4" Alexandra Lippert connected with a turnaround jumper in the lane at the 3:45 mark for a 21-18 Cobber lead. But the Gusties would not need to hit the panic button. They showed experience and resolve as they slowly clawed their way back into the lead. After a Benz free throw Geske knocked down a "3" from the left wing at the 2:46 mark for a 22-21 Gustavus lead and then Rothenbuehler made a nice drive and finish at the 1:53 mark. After withstanding a Lippert score at the 1:09 mark, Rothenbuehler scored again on the next possession and Geske was able to connect with a shot from the charity stripe with just :13.5 left that enabled the Gusties to take a 27-23 advantage into the locker room at the break.
Whatever reservations or fears that Gustavus may have had offensively in the first half vanished as the second half began. They responded with a 15-2 run in the first six minutes of the second half that sarted with senior guard Ava Perry's drive along the baseline and finish inside at the 19:13 mark and was punctuated by Rothenbuehler's "3" from the right corner at the 14:19 mark for a 40-25 Gustie lead that proved to be the difference-maker in this contest. The Gusties were able to push the lead to as much as 17 when sophomore Julia Dysthie made a lay-up at the 13:14 mark. The Cobbers, however, refused to quit and this is where freshman Alley Fisher came into play. She connected with a "3" from the right wing at the 12:10 mark and banged home another "3" from the left corner at the 10:16 mark. Lippert was able to work her way inside at the 9:24 mark for a score and a lay-up at the 8:32 mark. Another three-point bomb by Fisher at the 7:19 mark - this time from the right wing - cut the Gustie lead to 51-40 before the home team finally woke up again. A Rothenbuehler "3" from the top of the key with 6:16 left and a sweet turnaround jumper at the 4:51 mark as the shot clock was about to expire pushed the lead back up to 56-42. Junior guard Steph Comer connected with a lay-up with 3:04 left that made it 59-42 Gustavus. The Cobbers had one last hurrah - yet another three-point bomb from Fisher from the left corner at the 1:41 mark but the Gusties would do what they needed to do to secure a 61-49 win that sends them to the MIAC Championship game against UST which defeated St. Mary's at home.
With the win and berth in the MIAC Championship Game, I think the Gusties have all but cemented a ticket to the Big Dance come this next Monday; regardless of what happens Saturday at UST. Sure, a win over UST would be fantastic and it would get the Gusties not only their first outright MIAC title and an automatic bid, it would give them a better chance at staying closer to home. UST is going to host an NCAA "pod" no matter what happens Saturday although I certainly don't think this diminishes their desire to make up for the disappointment of last season's loss at home to a senior-laden Concordia squad. That one loss cost UST a ticket to the dance (which was BS in itself as the MIAC got [expletive deleted] again by the NCAA). If Gusties should lose a tough one to UST on Saturday, then the most likely scenario is that they'll get shipped to either Wisconsin or, worse yet, out to George Fox where it'll likely be a "one and done" deal.
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