Eden Prairie vs Champlin Park 12-20-22

 Made the relatively easy trip up to Champlin Park High School on this cold, cold Tuesday night to take in another intriguing non-conference tune-up featuring visiting Eden Prairie and host Champlin Park.  The Eagles were coming into this contest looking to make amends after the incredibly heartbreaking loss at Becker on the previous Friday while the Rebels were hoping to build on the good start that they had to this season.  

Eden Prairie would hold the upper hand for most of this first half; looking confident and sharp in their offensive sets that helped them build an early 8-2 advantage.  Senior point guard Molly Lenz would get things going with her drive and short jumper at the 17:44 mark and a lay-up off of an inbounds pass by fellow senior guard Ashley Fritz at the 17:16 mark had the Eagles up 4-0.  Lenz would connect with a lay-up at the 16:11 mark and sophomore guard Vanessa Jordan would make a pretty drive and finish at the 15:25 mark for the aforementioned score.  Champlin Park would cut the deficit down to four on a jumper from the right elbow area by senior guard Ashlee Burchette at the 12:37 mark but Eden Prairie would then widen the gap even more with a 7-0 push.  A pair of free throws by slender sophomore reserve guard Remington Ehrman after she was fouled at the 12:14 mark and an Ehrman offensive rebound and putback at the 11:55 mark made it a 12-4 game and then the Eagles' silent assassin; senior guard Annika Anderson, would unleash a three-point bomb from the right wing area at the 9:35 mark that grew Eden Prairie's lead to 15-4 and by this point the host Rebels looked to be in a heap of trouble.  

Things would continue to look dire indeed for Champlin Park as this first half progressed.  A lay-up by senior forward Kylie Bamlett with 8:57 left maintained the 11-point edge at 17-6 and another Anderson trey - this one from the top of the key with 8:11 left - upped the lead to 20-8.  Strong sophomore reserve guard Ella Hardwick would make a big contribution for the Eagles as well with her nifty reverse lay-up with 7:23 left and when Lenz connected with a lay-up in transition with 5:46 left that made it 24-8, the Rebels definitely looked like they were in over their head.  It was here that Champlin Park was finally able to break out of its prolonged slumber and get some semblance of offensive production.  Burchette would nail a "3" from the left corner with 4:13 left and fellow senior guard Nicole Lillard would get one free throw to go down after getting fouled with 2:28 left.  Junior guard Mariah Pates would connect with a short, one-handed shot with 1:50 left and Burchette would drain her second trey of the contest - this one from the right top area with 1:30 left.  Junior guard Ava Holman would also snare an offensive rebound for a putback with :35.3 left that got the deficit back to ten points for the Rebels at 29-19 by the halftime break so while there was still obviously a lot of work to do, it was still a darn sight better than what it was six minutes ago. 

Champlin Park would finally get back into single-digit range by the 16:24 mark of the second half when Burchette connected with a lay-up and although the Eagles' Anderson would connect with a lay-up of her own on Eden Prairie's subsequent possession at the 16:08 mark to protect the ten-point advantage at 31-21, the Rebels came out with a renewed spirit and determination as a 7-0 push had them right back in this contest.  Lillard would connect with a lay-up at the 15:28 mark and then a Burchette "3" from the left wing area at the 15:00 mark had the deficit down to five at 31-26.  Less than a minute later, Burchette would get sent to the charity stripe after she was fouled in a transition opportunity at the 14:29 mark and she would cash in on both attempts that now had Champlin Park back to within a single possession down 31-28 after trailing by as many as sixteen in the latter stages of the first half.  Seeing their safety net dwindle as much as it did could have easily sent Eden Prairie into panic mode but this battle-tested and mentally tough Eagles team dug their heels in and went about building it back up.  Two lay-ups in transition by Fritz - one at the 13:44 mark and another one at the 13:12 mark - had Eden Prairie's lead back up to seven at 35-28 and then free throws - one by Lenz after she was fouled in a transition opportunity at the 11:53 mark and two more by Bamlett after she was fouled at the 11:09 mark - restored that double-digit advantage that the Eagles enjoyed earlier by a 38-28 count.  Lenz would also connect with a short, pull-up jumper in transition at the 9:48 mark and with a 40-30 Eden Prairie lead, order looked as if it had been restored.  

That notion was emphasized even more when Eden Prairie's Fritz would connect with a lay-up in transition with 7:58 left that also drew a foul and allowed Fritz to knock down the obligatory "and one" along with a lay-up in transition by Anderson with 7:36 left for good measure that seemingly had the Eagles in the "safe" zone again with a sizable 45-32 advantage.  But the host Rebels were not finished with their trickery just yet.  Lillard would make a hard drive for a finish with 7:06 left as would Holman with 6:08 left that cut the deficit down to nine at 45-36.  Holman would also knock down one charity stripe shot after getting fouled with 5:38 left and senior guard Rian Giles would then bury a "3" from the left corner with 5:11 left to keep Champlin Park in that nine-point range down down 49-40 with plenty of time left.  Then, when the flashy Burchette connected with a lay-up in transition with 4:46 left that reduced the deficit down to seven points at 49-42, there was every reason to believe that the Rebels had one more run left in them.  But Champlin Park could never find that one spark again that would allow them to get back to within striking distance that could have changed the outlook on this game.  The Eagles again steadied the ship as Ehrman would knock down a pair of freebies after getting fouled with 4:26 left and then the crafty Lenz would get a three-point play the old-fashioned way with her drive and finish that drew a foul resulting in the obligatory "and one" with 3:46 left that now had Eden Prairie's safety net back in double-digit range again with a 54-42 advantage.  With 2:04 left, Lenz would strike again with a short jumper in the lane to make it a 56-45 ballgame.  The Rebels would attempt one last gasp as Pates would drain a "3" from the left wing with 1:41 left and Burchette would have one last round of heroics for Champlin Park with her three-point bomb from the left top area with 1:07 left that cut the Eagles lead down to seven at 58-51 but Eden Prairie's Fritz would seal the deal with her score in the paint with :51.4 left that also drew a foul and resulted in the "and one" that would give the Eagles their final margin of victory with a 61-51 triumph.  

Given the incredibly tough loss at Becker just a few short nights ago, you had to think that this was a solid response by Eden Prairie and they never panicked when Champlin Park made a serious run at them early on in the second half.  Champlin Park meanwhile is an intriguing team; maybe not yet quite ready for prime time but always dangerous and athletic and they can cause a lot of problems with their pressure and trapping defensive ploys.  It was a very balanced scoring attack for the Eagles that helped pave the way to victory on this night - and what a night it was for Fritz as her 18 points led the way for her team (and tied for high-scoring honors on this night as well).  The steady as a rock Lenz was right behind with 17 points and Anderson; although she didn't have one of her better nights from behind the arc, still more than made up for that as she tallied 12 points.  Bamlett meanwhile had "only" four points on this night but was an absolute monster on the boards with 10 rebounds.  No surprise that Burchette led the way for Champlin Park on this night with her 18 points while Giles finished with 10 points.    

Eden Prairie vs Becker Recap - 12-16-22

 Made the trek on this somewhat snowy Friday evening up US Highway 10 and the BNSF's Staples Sub mainline up to Becker to take in this highly-anticipated intersectional matchup between 2AAAA powerhouse Eden Prairie and host 5AAA Becker.  Both teams were coming into this contest with unblemished records and both wanted to make statement on this snowy, cold Friday night so it was something of an understatement that Becker High School was where you wanted to be on this Friday evening.  

It took a little bit for Eden Prairie to shake off the initial cobwebs but the Eagles would eventually have the upper hand in this contest; building a 7-2 advantage thanks largely in part to senior guard Annika Anderson as her pretty drive and finish off the glass at the 15:39 mark of the first half and her three-point bomb from the top of the key at the 14:36 mark had them in good shape.  But the host Bulldogs were unfazed by all of this as the ripped off an 11-0 spurt over a little more than a two minute period; highlighted by a "3" by senior guard Marin Westin at the 14:16 mark and two scores by fellow senior guard Ayla Brown and a short jumper from the right side by junior guard Alexis Rose.  Becker would maintain a six-point edge as a lay-up in transition by Westin at the 11:12 mark to make it a 15-9 ballgame and although the Eagles would get back to within a single possession thanks to a three-point bomb by sophomore reserve guard Remington Ehrman from the left wing area at the 10:56 mark, Becker was not finished with its offensive as a lay-up in transition by senior reserve post Evelyn Kreft at the 10:23 mark and a short jumper in transition by Brown at the 10:04 to make it 19-12 Bulldogs mark prompted Eden Prairie Head Coach Ellen Wiese to call a timeout to assess the situation.  

Becker, however, still seemed to have a firm grip on the situation as a three-point bomb by senior guard Dani Nuest from the top of the key with 8:36 left and a lay-up by Westin with 7:35 left had the Bulldogs in good shape up 24-16.  But this Eden Prairie team was not going to be held down for long and the Eagles' Ehrman made sure of that as back-to-back three-point bombs - one from the right wing area with 7:10 left and another from the left wing area with 6:49 left - suddenly had Eden Prairie back to within a single possession down just 24-22.  The Bulldogs would make another bid to create some more breathing room for themselves as Brown would muscle into the paint for a score with 6:33 left that drew a foul in the process and her ensuing "and one" had Becker up by five at 27-22.  But the Eagles were just getting started with their counter-offensive and it would be Anderson doing major damage from behind the arc that helped turned things around for Eden Prairie coming down the stretch of this first half as she would unleash FOUR three-point bombs in the span of about four minutes that propelled a 16-5 Bulldog push - back-to-back treys with 6:16 and 5:07 left, one from the left top area with 2:58 left and another from the left corner with 2:07 left - that allowed the Eagles to take a surprising 38-32 advantage into the locker room at the half that had the Becker contingent wondering if their team could come back from that late onslaught.  

Eden Prairie would put the Bulldogs in an even bigger hole at the outset of the second period when senior point guard Molly Lenz; relatively quiet from a scoring standpoint in the first half, drained a "3" from the right top area at the 17:36 mark to make it a 41-32 game but now it was Becker's turn to ratchet things up on offense after going into a slumber late in the first half.  A tough drive and finish by Brown at the 16:57 mark followed by a score in the paint by senior forward Elizabeth Mackendanz at the 16:39 mark had the deficit cut to four at 41-37 and a couple of minutes later, a lay-up in transition by Nuest now had the Bulldogs back to within a single possession down 41-39 and Eden Prairie's Wiese; perhaps sensing a danger spot for her squad, called for a timeout to try and stop the bleeding.  But Becker kept demonstrating that this latest comeback on their part was no fluke.  Nuest would unleash a "3" from the left wing area at the 14:00 mark that pushed the Bulldogs back out in front 42-41 and then Brown would do the same from that left wing area as well at the 13:20 mark to give Becker a 45-43 advantage.  The Eagles' Anderson would soon get this game knotted at 45 with her short jumper in the lane at the 12:49 mark.  Both teams would trade small leads over the next minute and a half and after Eden Prairie got the game tied up again at 49 a piece after two free throws by Ehrman at the 11:02 mark, Becker got an unexpected lift when Rose would bang home a "3" from the left top area at the 10:46 mark that drew a foul and her ensuing "and one" suddenly gave the home team a 53-49 lead.  But a four-point deficit was not going to faze this Eagle team as a strong drive into traffic and finish off the glass by senior guard Ashley Fritz at the 10:31 mark and a strong offensive rebound and putback by sophomore reserve guard Ella Hardwick at the 9:41 had this game leveled again at 53 a piece and needless to say, the tension and uncertainty inside the Becker Gymnasium was present.  

And given some of the offensive fireworks displays that both teams had exhibited up to this point, with a tie game at 53, it was now time for defense to take center stage in this contest and both teams showed they could play at as the cobwebs would gather on both baskets for the next five minutes with both teams missing out on easy opportunities in the process.  Finally, after much adieu, two free throws by Westin with 5:18 left in regulation broke this scoreless duel to push the Bulldogs back out in front by a 55-53 count.  But before Becker to do any early celebrating, the Eagles came right back thanks to the slender sophomore reserve, Ehrman, as she would knock down a pair of freebies after getting fouled with 4:30 left and follow that up shortly thereafter with a pretty drive into traffic for a finish with 4:02 left that now pushed Eden Prairie back out in front by a 57-55 count.  Then it was time for the Bulldogs to make a move and a three-point bomb by Nuest from the left top area with 3:45 left pushed Becker back out in front 58-57 and a pretty drive and finish by Westin a bit later with 2:59 left consolidated on that as the Bulldogs increased their lead to 60-57.  But against a team like Eden Prairie, three points is nothing and the Eagles quickly reduced that deficit to one when Lenz connected with a jumper from the free throw line area with 2:46 left.  Becker's Brown would up the lead to three again by knocking down a pair of charity stripe shots after she was fouled with 2:32 left but here Eden Prairie relied on Anderson and she calmly drained a cold-blooded "3" from the right wing area with 2:09 left that knotted this contest again at 62 a piece.  Becker's Brown would come through on the Bulldogs' subsequent possession with a pretty drive and finish to give the home team a 64-62 lead but the Eagles' Anderson would strike again with 1:25 left with a pretty drive and finish of her own that had this contest leveled at 64 a piece.  Becker Head Coach Dan Baird would call a timeout to set up strategy for this last 1:25 in regulation and it was here that the Bulldogs really showed their mettle on both ends of the floor with the game hanging in the balance.  With 1:13 left, Nuest would connect on a lay-up to push Becker back out in front and a bit later it would be Rose making perhaps the play of the night with her steal and lay-up the other way with :51 left that made it a two-possession game at 68-64.  Still, Eden Prairie had one last gasp in them.  Lenz would be fouled from behind the arc with :15.2 seconds but could get only one free throw to go down which at least got the Eagles back to within a single possession down 68-65.  On her last free throw attempt that missed, Eden Prairie sophomore guard Vanessa Jordan would sneak through traffic to snare the offensive rebound and with :09.5 left, she would be fouled and she would cash in on both free throw attempts that reduced the deficit to a scant point at 68-67.  Becker's Baird would again take a timeout to set up strategy for his team's next possession and with :07.2 left, Rose would get fouled and the slender junior; with pressure abound, calmly sank both free throw attempts to make it a 70-67 game.  Now Eden Prairie's Wiese had to burn a timeout to try and set up a three-point play to force overtime.  With just :01 left on the clock, the Eagles' Ehrman got a brief look behind the arc and let a three-point bomb attempt fly but it rattled off the rim and Becker escaped with a tough and exciting 70-67 victory in a well-played contest by both teams.  

When I was able to catch up with Becker's Baird after the win, I had to congratulate him and his team on an exciting victory and how this program just keeps the beat going.  The first group he had finally broke through a couple of seasons ago and won a state tournament and this group is well on the way to carving its own identity and the culture here and the younger athletes below this current group want to emulate what they're doing.  Baird noted that, just like the first group he had, this current group is just very competitive in every aspect - both on and off the floor and he noted that it's just so easy for him because these players come from good families and that they have their priorities correctly in place and it's obvious how much he enjoys leading this program.  

What a night it was for Becker's Brown as her 25 points led all scorers but she also got a lot of help as Nuest poured in 16 points while Westin had 13 points and Rose was right behind tallying 12 points on this Friday night.  For Eden Prairie, it was Anderson doing most of the damage as her 21 points led the way in a tough loss and the unheralded Ehrman surprised everyone on this night with her spirited play - and 16 points while Lenz finished with 13 points.  Interestingly, Eden Prairie had a decided edge on the boards on this night by a 32-25 count and Becker was a perfect 8-8 from the charity stripe.   

CSB vs Hamline 12-10-22

 Made my way over to venerable Hutton Arena on the campus of Hamline University on this dreary early December Saturday afternoon to take in this pivotal early season clash between visiting CSB and host Hamline.  The Bennies were coming into this contest on a three-game win streak after the loss to GAC back on 11-22 while the Pipers were a perfect 7-0 and were coming off a resounding home win over Carleton on Wednesday night so you knew this one had all the makings for a pretty good contest and it's safe to say that attendees got their money's worth.  

CSB would draw first blood in this contest; both on the scoreboard and literally and figuratively as well as a "3" from the left wing area by senior point guard Gabby Martin put the Bennies on the board first at the 9:08 mark of the opening period and just less than a minute later at the 8:10 mark, Hamline's electrifying junior guard Lydia Lecher suffered an inadvertent blow to the face which resulted in an apparent bloody nose for the former Concordia Academy standout and a trip to the trainer.  Still, the Pipers seemed to be okay despite all that as speedy senior guard Alyssa Williamson made a daring drive into the lane for a finish at the 6:21 mark and her fellow senior backcourt mate, Chan'el Anderson-Manning would snare a steal near mid-court and race back for a lay-up to give Hamline a 4-3 advantage.  But the Bennies would take the upper hand back as senior post Tori Szathmary connected with a short, turnaround jumper in the lane at the 5:20 mark and free throws - one by sophomore reserve forward Olivia Boily with 4:33 left and two more by senior reserve guard Hannah Johnson - now had CSB back up by an 8-4 count.  But things would seem to fall back into the Pipers favor once they got into the bonus with 2:49 left in this opening period and when junior sharp-shooting guard Larisa O'Neil drained a "3" from the left wing in a transition opportunity with 2:02 left, Hamline was right back in business down only 8-7.  But the Bennies showed they meant business themselves as they created some more breathing room before this first period was over.  Junior guard Carla Meyer would connect with a lay-up with 1:05 left and Szathmary would do the same with :37 left as CSB took a somewhat surprising 12-7 lead going into the second period.  

And the Bennies showed they were just getting started as they went on a 7-2 push once the second period got going.  Willowy sophomore reserve guard Sophia Jonas started this run by burying a "3" from the right top area off of an inbounds pass at the 9:41 mark and a tough score in the paint by junior forward Lydia Hay at the 9:00 mark put CSB up 17-9.  Less than a minute later at the 8:03 mark, Hay would get sent to the charity stripe after she was fouled and two free throws by Hay; the former Wayzata standout, gave the Bennies their first double-digit lead at 19-9.  A short shot off the glass by Szathmary maintained the ten-point advantage at 21-11 and a short jumper in the lane by Hannah Johnson pushed that lead to 23-11 at the 5:02 mark.  Hamline would continue to struggle on the offensive end and CSB freshman reserve guard Megan Morgan would connect with a lay-up in transition to keep the lead at twelve at 25-13.  With 2:08 left, Meyer would give the Bennies their largest lead yet at 28-14 when she buried a "3" from the left top area.  Freshman reserve guard/forward Josie Wiebusch would finally dust off the cobwebs that had collected on the Pipers basket with two free throws after getting fouled with 1:51 left and one more with 1:27 left but going into the locker room down 28-17, Hamline Head Coach Alex Focke and his staff knew that the Pipers had a lot of work to do in the second half.  

Hamline knew that they had to get the gears shifted to try and turn the momentum in this one and a 10-0 run to start the third period went a long way in doing so.  Lecher; apparently feeling no ill-effects from the bloody nose she suffered early on in the contest, started things off by banging home a "3" from the left top area in a transition opportunity at the 8:57 mark and a lay-up a short time later by junior reserve guard Michaela Stamer at the 8:28 mark had the deficit cut to six at 28-22.  Then at the 7:53 mark, Williamson would dart into the lane and get a finish to pull the Pipers even closer down 28-24 and CSB Head Coach Mike Durbin had seen enough to know that a stoppage in play was warranted.  Still, Hamline's Lecher would strike again at the 6:29 mark with a drive into the lane for a finish and drew a foul in the process and her ensuing "and one" now had the deficit reduced to a scant point at 28-27 and had the Pipers right back where they needed to be.  That finally got the attention of the Bennies and they responded with consecutive scores to give them a bit more breathing room.  Hannah Johnson would knock down a jumper from the left elbow area at the 6:02 mark and then Meyer would snare a steal and race the other way for a lay-up at the 5:41 mark that had CSB in a bit better shape up 32-27.  Right back came the Pipers, however, as Stamer would get sent to the charity stripe for a couple of freebies after being fouled with 4:55 left and then Anderson-Manning would work her magic in the half-court with a pretty drive and finish with 2:47 left to again reduce the deficit to one at 32-31.  Now it was time for the Bennies to kick it into higher gear with a 7-0 spurt.  Jonas would connect with a short jumper along the left baseline with 2:21 left and a short, turnaround jumper by Hannah Johnson with 1:45 left pushed the CSB lead back up to five at 36-31.  With 1:12 left, Jonas; the former Hudson, WI standout, drained a "3" from the left top area to stretch the Bennie lead up to eight at 39-31.  Hamline would manage to trim the deficit down as senior forward Iyanna Wieland would get a three-point play the old-fashioned way with a lay-up that drew a foul along with the obligatory free throw with :54.5 left and a coast-to-coast lay-up by the flashy Anderson-Manning with :20.5 left had the Pipers back to within a single possession down 39-36 but two free throws by CSB's Boily after she was fouled with 13.3 left got the Bennie's safety net better again with a 41-36 advantage.

The Bennies would get their lead to eight at 44-36 thanks to Hannah Johnson who snared down an offensive rebound for a putback that also drew a foul with the ensuing "and one" at the 8:28 mark of the fourth period but a pesky Hamline team was not conceding anything anytime soon.  Freshman reserve guard Camille Cummings; the former Centennial standout, knocked down a pair of free throws after getting fouled at the 6:44 mark and a three-point bomb by Stamer from the left wing at the 5:11 mark had the Pipers right back within a single possession down 44-41.  CSB would try again to widen the gap as Jonas unleashed a three-point bomb of her own from the right wing area with 4:23 left to make it 47-41 and a score in the paint by Hay with 3:47 left maintained the six-point edge at 49-43.  But right back came the Pipers as a score in the paint by Stamer with 3:22 left and a short jumper in the lane by Lecher off of a nifty inbounds pass with 1:42 left now reduced the deficit to two at 49-47 and the Bennies' Durbin wasted no time in calling a timeout to get his squad calmed down a bit and for a strategy primer as well.  On CSB's subsequent possession, Boily would have a chance to give her squad a bit more breathing room after she was fouled with 1:14 left but the former Hudson standout was unable to cash in on either attempt so that finally gave Hamline the opportunity they were waiting for.  With :59 left, Stamer unleashed a huge three-point bomb from the left wing area that suddenly had the Pipers up for the first time in this contest since the early minutes of the opening period at 50-49.  The Bennies could have easily broken out the proverbial panic button right then and there but instead brought the ball back up the court efficiently and were able to set up their half-court offense and Meyer would get a decent look from the left free throw line area and promptly knock down the go-ahead jumper with :30.3 left to make it 51-50 CSB.  On its next possession, the Pipers got the ball across the half-court line and Focke would call a timeout with :15.4 left to set up the potential go-ahead score.  Hamline would then get the rock to its go-to weapon - Lecher - with under :10 left and Lecher would wheel and deal and get a short, turnaround jumper to go down with :08.5 left to propel the Pipers back out in front 52-51 that had the partisan Hamline crowd and student section in a full frenzy.  But again, CSB refused to flinch.  Durbin would immediately call a timeout and set up the Bennies next play and it worked to perfection.  CSB's Jonas would break free after getting the inbounds pass and calmly connect with a lay-up with :07.3 left that again pushed the Bennies ahead 53-52.  Still one last chance for Hamline after Focke called for another timeout but the drawn up play in the team huddle did not work nearly as well as hoped.  With precious seconds ticking away, the Pipers Wiebusch was forced to launch an off-balance three-point attempt that missed its mark with :00.8 left and CSB escaped venerable Hutton Arena with an equally precious 53-52 road win.

It took a little while but I was actually corralled first by former CSB standout and now-Assistant Coach Alison Kendall and I had to ask her about that last play where Jonas scored that proved to be the game-winner.  "We actually ran that play in high school" she said with a wide grin.  Whether she had any input on what was going to be run I'm not sure but it sure worked to perfection.  I asked Durbin about it when he was finally able to break free from well-wishers and asked him if there was a screen set that allowed Jonas to get so open.  "No, no screen at all" he said.  It was just a play that they've worked on in practice and it obviously paid dividends on this day.  When I look at the final box score on this one, I normally find some things that might have a big hand in leading to a team's downfall.  In this one, however, it's kind of tough because rebounds were almost even and Hamline had only six turnovers compared to CSB's 14.  Hamline had a 26-20 edge in points in the paint although CSB was a bit better in those all-important "second chance" points at 8-4.  I'm pretty much left with looking at Hamline's shooting on this day which wasn't great by any stretch - 18-73 from FG range for 24.7% and 4-26 from downtown for for 15.4% which hurts obviously.  But the fact that they were in position to win this game still speaks volumes as to how resourceful they can be even when things aren't going their way.  You also have to consider as well, I think, the loss of senior forward Tess Hauer who's likely out for the season with a knee injury and you just hate to see that happen; I hope there's a chance she can come back next year because she really showed how good she can be last season.  That said, despite the loss, I'm not going to write off the Pipers yet because it's too early in the season and I think we just need to see more; you can't evaluate on just one game.  Even if they had come away with the "W", I wouldn't have been able to go out on a limb and project them as a possible conference title contender either.  We just need to see more.  Ditto for CSB but I think you'd be hard-pressed to disagree that this team is trending in the right direction despite the home loss to GAC back on 11-22 and they've got some good young players that are blending in quite well with the veterans such as Meyer, Hannah Johnson and Martin.  The Bennies get to go to Hawaii this coming weekend where they'll face two very good teams in Worcester St and DePauw.  

It was a pretty balanced attack by CSB on this day and I suppose it's no surprise that it was Jonas not only leading the way but also led all scorers with her 13 points to pace the Bennies and Hannah Johnson had a monster day with a "double-double" of 11 points and 13 rebounds.  Both Lecher and Stamer would lead the Hamline attack with their 12 points a piece.      

Concordia vs Bethel 12-3-22

 Made the relatively short trip over to Robertson Center on the campus of Bethel University on this cold early December Saturday to take in this critical early season clash between visiting Concordia and host Bethel.  The Cobbers were coming in as arguably one of the hottest teams in MIAC Women's hoops in this early season with a 4-0 record - including a stunning 64-63 upset of GAC up in Moorhead last Saturday.  The Royals meanwhile were stumbling out of the gate much like they did last season with a 2-3 overall record and 2-1 in conference play after dropping a tough decision to Hamline this last Wednesday evening.  And while it's still early in the season, of course, you had to think from a Bethel standpoint that this was about as close to a "must win" game for them as there is.    

As expected, things would be tight in the opening minutes of the first period as two scores by junior guard Anna Garfield - a lay-up at the 9:27 mark and a score in the paint at the 8:45 mark - had the Royals up 4-2.  Concordia, however, would get the game leveled at four a piece when senior guard Emily Beseman connected with a lay-up at the 8:36 mark.  But Bethel would grab some early momentum thanks to its trademark defensive work that caused the usually-potent Cobber attack to falter a bit.  Garfield, stealing the early spotlight in this contest, would snare an offensive rebound for a putback at the 7:36 mark to push the Royal back out in front 6-4 at the 7:36 mark and a pair of Garfield free throws after the former Blaine standout was fouled at the 6:46 mark upped Bethel's lead to 8-4.  Freshman reserve guard Colette Duininck would make a daring drive into the lane for a finish at the 6:13 mark to maintain the four-point edge at 10-6 as would sophomore reserve forward Lydia Hagstrom at the 5:08 mark with her score in the paint that had Bethel up 12-8.  It was here that Concordia went into its first serious offensive funk on this Saturday afternoon as the Royals stingy defense in the half court took the Cobbers completely out of their comfort zone and allowed Bethel to go on a 7-0 push.  Hagstrom would start this push with her lay-up off of an inbounds pass with 3:56 left and one free throw by sophomore guard Kendal Cox with 2:50 left had the Royals up 15-8.  With 2:11 left, Cox would again get sent to the charity stripe after getting fouled and got one more free throw to go down to make it 16-8 and with exactly 1:00 left in this opening period, senior forward Emma Schultz would drain a "3" from the right top area that stretched Bethel's lead to 19-8.  Ironically, the Cobbers would get a bit of a reprieve in the most unexpected fashion as sophomore guard Carlee Sieben let loose with a half-court Hail Mary shot that found nothing but cotton with just :00.1 left that helped take some of the sting out of the team's offensive woes and narrow the deficit some as well with Bethel's lead trimmed to 19-11.

Duininck would give the Royals a 20-11 lead with one free throw after she was fouled in a transition opportunity at the 9:45 mark of the second period before Concordia could finally break out of its offensive slump that it suffered down the stretch of the opening period.  Sieben would unleash her second trey of this afternoon - this one from a bit more reasonable range from the right wing area - to cut the deficit to six at 20-14 and would also add free throws - one after getting fouled at the 7:08 mark and again at the 6:53 mark - that got the Cobbers back to within striking distance down 20-16.  Two more free throws by sophomore forward Makayla Anderson at the 5:37 mark kept Concordia in that four-point range down 22-18 and a tough score in the paint by sophomore reserve forward Greta Tollefson at the 5:03 mark suddenly had the Cobbers back to within a single possession down 22-20.  That was something of a wake-up call for Bethel as they went right back to work to create some more breathing room.  Garfield would collect with a lay-up with 4:41 left as would Duininck with 4:14 left that gave the Royals a 26-20 lead and Duininck would add one free throw after getting fouled with 2:14 left to make it 27-20.  A lay-up by Schultz with 1:43 left maintained this seven-point edge at 29-22 before the Cobbers could narrow things up again on two free throws by Beseman when she was fouled with :36.6 left so while Concordia Head Coach Kim Wagers could feel a bit better about her squad turning up the heat a little bit in the second period, there was still work to do and they had to find a way of neutralizing that Bethel defense as well.  

Whatever was said in the Cobber locker room during the halftime break certainly seemed to have the desired effect as Concordia finally got its offense going once the third period got underway.  Senior guard Autumn Thompson would bang home a "3" from the left wing area at the 8:34 mark and a lay-up in transition by sophomore forward Symone Beld at the 7:56 mark suddenly had this game tied at 29 a piece.  The Royals woke up from their brief slumber to get themselves out in front again as Schultz would muscle into the paint for one score at the 7:18 mark and a lay-up in transition by sophomore guard Courtney Nuest at the 7:02 mark gave Bethel a four-point edge at 33-29.  But right back came the Cobbers with a 6-0 spurt.  Beseman would start this push with a nifty drive into traffic and finish off the glass at the 5:47 mark and would also add two free throw after getting fouled a bit later at the 5:14 mark that knotted this contest up again at 33-all.  Shortly afterward, Beld would connect with a jumper from the left wing area with 4:46 left that finally allowed Concordia to poke their nose out in front by a 35-33 count.  Then things started getting wild as three-point bombs were unleashed from both sides.  Bethel sophomore reserve guard Autumn Earney would unleash a "3" from the right wing area with 4:29 left to push the Royals back out in front 36-35 but then the Cobbers would come right back with some artillery of their own when Beseman uncorked a "3" from the right wing area with 4:11 left that put Concordia back out in front 38-36.  But right back came Bethel's Earney on the Royals subsequent possession as she would drill her second trey of this afternoon from the right top area with 3:57 left as Bethel grabbed the lead back at 39-38.  But Concordia would take that lead right back as Beld would connect with a lay-up with 3:18 left to put the Cobbers back up at 40-39 and a jumper from the left elbow area by freshman reserve guard Molly Musland with 1:54 left would keep Concordia on top by a 42-40 count.  Not to be outdone, the Royals would counter as Nuest would connect with a jumper from the left corner just inside the arc with 1:33 left to tie the game at 42 and Garfield would make a hard drive for a finish off the glass with 1:08 left to put Bethel back out in front by the end of this somewhat wacky third period by a 44-42 score.  So even though Concordia couldn't hold that small lead coming down the stretch, the general thought was that they now finally gained some much-needed confidence on the offensive end as this third period suggested. 

Whether it was the perceived confidence that suddenly waned or if it was fatigue that finally settled in or if it was that Bethel defense just absolutely shutting down its opponent - or even perhaps a combination of all of the above may not be know but the brakes got applied to that normally potent Cobber offense as they came to an almost standstill once the fourth period got underway.  And not that the Royals were exactly lighting up the scoreboard themselves but Concordia just went absolutely stone cold.  And considering the fact that they were right there within striking distance made it even more maddening from a Cobber standpoint.  Tollefson would come up empty on a lay-up attempt at the 8:40 mark as would Thompson a bit later at the 7:44 mark.  Bethel meanwhile was able to gradually get a bit more breathing room thanks to the Cobbers struggles.  Schultz would knock down a pair of charity stripe shots after getting fouled at the 8:16 mark and a daring drive into traffic and a lay-up by Nuest at the 6:43 mark had the Royals up 48-42.  Still a manageable deficit in most cases but the fact that Concordia was unable to dust off the cobwebs off of its basket until the 2:08 mark on a lay-up by Beseman, it seemed much bigger than it was.  And Bethel would pretty much seal the deal on this one when Schultz maneuvered into the paint for a score that drew a foul and her ensuing "and one" now had the Royals up 51-44 with 1:38 left.  Cox would add an insurance free throw with 1:31 left after getting fouled as would Duininck with :38.5 left plus a couple more by Garfield with :21.5 and :05.5 left as Bethel took an important 55-48 victory.  

When I was finally able to catch up with Bethel Head Coach Jon Herbrechtsmeyer afterward, he talked about the need to "uglify" things - if such a term could be used but whatever term or phrase you want to use - the tactics worked.  Again, it was the Bethel defense setting the tone in this contest and they simply shut down Concordia in that fourth period right when it looked as if the Cobbers had shaken off all of their troubles and they seemed out of their comfort zone for a good chunk of the contest.  Herbrechtsmeyer did offer up some hope on the return of sophomore forward Hayden Glander who's still out with an unspecified injury and said that she may see some minutes in another week and that, perhaps after Christmas or the first of the year, she should be fully ready to go - adding yet another dimension to this Bethel team that they definitely could use.  Meanwhile, it was a disappointing day at the office for Concordia's Wagers and her team and Wagers said that "We're normally a very good shooting team."  But it was obvious that they ran into a buzzsaw on this day and you can bet that it must've been a long, dreary cold ride back up US Highway 10 and the BNSF's Staples Sub mainline to Moorhead.  

When you look at the final box score for this one, it can be easy to understand why Wagers and her staff likely had to reach for the Tylenol PM once they got back.  The Cobbers were 14-53 from FG range for only 26.4% and 4-16 from downtown for 25% - OUCH.  And free throw shooting wasn't really that great either as the Cobbers were 16-22 for 72.7%.  Turnovers were almost even (Concordia 23 and Bethel with 20) but what made it bad from a Concordia standpoint was that Bethel got 12 points off of those turnovers.  Bethel had a whopping 30-18 advantage in points in the paint as well so, in a game like this, those numbers tell much of the story.  Garfield and Schultz really carried the Royals this day on the scoring front with their 14 and 12 points, respectively.  Concordia actually had a reasonably balanced attack on this day as Beseman; the former Swanville standout led the way for the Cobbers with her 14 points while Anderson tallied 11 points and finished with a "double-double" with her 10 rebounds and Sieben finished with 10 points.