Bounded down US Highway 169 and the Union Pacific's Mankato Sub mainline to St. Peter so I could get there early as (1) I wanted to see what the set-up for me would be like in the media/press box area and (2) I wanted to enjoy a good meal at the world-famous Gustavus Cafe. I enjoyed an excellent meal of scrambled eggs, hash browns and sausage links that was just incredibly good and hit the spot perfectly. Was able to get into the press area and got myself set up easily enough. The problem was that my laptop decided to do updates - and nothing but updates so had to revert to the normal way I do things with my notebook and pen which works fine for me. In any event, this MIAC Championship Game would be the first time ever that GAC has hosted this contest at Lund Arena and it's been a long time coming. But they earned the right to do so with the number-one seed as they simply steamrolled opponents along they way; including the Friday night romp over CSB in the MIAC Playoff semifinals. Concordia, their opponent on this day, was coming into this contest as the number-two seed but had faced a much tougher test on Friday night as they survived a doozy against Hamline in the other semifinal game to earn their way onto this stage. These two teams had split their regular season series. The Cobbers claimed a 64-63 win up in Moorhead on Thanksgiving weekend while the Gusties took their revenge in the Showdown in St. Peter earlier this month in an 82-56 romp. So not only would this contest today be the rubber match between these two teams, much bigger stakes - including the MIAC Automatic Bid to the NCAA Tournament - was also at stake.
Unlike the last time these two teams hooked up, Concordia got off to a much better start this time around. Senior guard Emily Beseman's "3" from the right top area at the 9:26 mark of this opening period allowed the Cobbers to draw first blood but GAC would come back and assume a 4-3 lead when sophomore point guard Kylie Baranick drained a "3" of her own from the right corner off of an inbounds pass at the 9:02 mark and senior forward Grace Benz got one free throw to go down after getting fouled in transition after she snared a steal at the 8:47 mark. Still, things were looking brighter for the gang from Fargo-Moorhead as Concordia's Beseman would level the game at 4-all with one freebie after getting fouled at the 8:38 mark and then a minute later at the 7:38 mark, emotions on both sides may have spilled over a bit as Gustie sophomore forward Rachel Kawiecki was whistled for a technical foul after getting tangled up with Cobber sophomore forward Makayla Anderson on a loose ball (I'll speak more on that later on). In any event, Concordia's Beseman got a pair of free throws to go down out of that and at the 6:55 mark, sophomore reserve forward Greta Tollefson maneuvered into the paint for a score that pushed the Cobber lead to 8-4. That got the attention of GAC and they moved quickly to get this game leveled again. Slender junior guard Emma (not evil) Kniefel would use a burst of speed to get into the lane for a pretty finish at the 6:35 mark and less than a minute after that, reliable senior guard Anna Sanders would connect with a lay-up at the 5:48 mark. Two free throws by Baranick after she was fouled at the 5:05 mark kept things knotted at ten a piece and then the Gusties would assume a 13-10 lead when ever-improving junior reserve guard Syd Hauger buried a "3" from the right top area with 4:27 left. GAC would stretch their lead to four when Benz muscled into the paint for a score with 3:59 left but the Cobbers responded. Anderson connected with a short, turnaround jumper in the lane with 3:31 left and the momentum needle appeared to swing back in Concordia's favor when sophomore point guard Carlee Sieben drained a "3" from the left wing area with 2:47 left that pushed the Cobbers back out in front by one at 16-15 so by this point if you were Concordia, you had to feel pretty good about where you were at considering how things went the last time. But it was precisely here that things started to unravel for the Cobbers as GAC unleashed a game-changing 11-0 push. Hauger would connect with a lay-up on the Gusties ensuing possession with 2:47 left and a bit later, Baranick would snare a long defensive rebound and then go coast-to-coast for a lay-up of her own with 1:46 left that gave GAC a 19-16 lead. With 1:16 left, Hauger would strike again with another lay-up and after another foiled Cobber possession, Sanders would drain a heart-breaking "3" from the left-wing area with :46 left that stretched the Gustie lead to eight at 24-16 and Concordia Head Coach Kim Wagers had seen enough to know that a stoppage in play was warranted. Still, GAC would close out this first period when Kawiecki muscled into the paint for a score as the Gusties had their first double-digit cushion of the day with a 26-16 lead. While not an insurmountable deficit by any means, the Cobbers looked totally out of sorts and they could ill-afford to have a repeat of a few short weeks ago.
Concordia knew that they had to get off on the right foot once the second period got going and it initially appeared that they did just that. Anderson would use her strong 6'0" frame to connect with another short, turnaround jumper in the lane at the 8:57 mark and a pretty lay-up in transition by Beseman at the 8:39 mark had the deficit down to a much more manageable six points at 26-20. But before the Cobbers could get too comfortable, GAC would embark on another push. Two scores by Sanders - a drive and finish at the 8:16 mark and a score in the paint at the 7:32 mark - got the lead back up to ten again at 30-20 and although Concordia would try to retaliate with a Sieben three-point bomb from the right corner at the 6:45 mark, the Gusties would get two quick lay-ups - one by Benz at the 6:30 mark and another one by Hauger at the 6:03 mark - that now gave GAC an eleven-point spread at 34-23 and once again, Concordia's Wagers was forced to take a match to another timeout as the math was definitely working against the Cobbers. And GAC showed no signs of slowing down anytime soon as Sanders would make a drive into the lane for a finish at the 5:28 mark and things were not looking any brighter for Concordia either when Beseman was tagged with her second foul of the afternoon at the 5:01 mark. The Cobbers would make a couple of dents in the cushion as Beseman would get one free throw to go down after getting fouled with 4:22 and 4:02 left but they were unable to stop much of the bleeding down the stretch. The Gusties would add to their lead down the stretch as Sanders would connect with a lay-up with 3:34 left and Kniefel would knock down a pair of free throws after getting fouled with 1:03 left as GAC took a 40-27 advantage into the locker room at the half. Just a quick glance at the box score gives you an idea of how the Gusties' defensive tactics were playing a big role in the second period alone as the Cobbers were 3-12 for FG range for 25% and were a miserable 1-9 from downtown for 11.1%. Not that GAC was shooting the lights out by any stretch but it was becoming obvious by the halftime break that Concordia was taken out of their comfort zone.
The Cobbers would again try and set the tone once the third period got underway as Anderson muscled into the paint for a score at the 9:02 mark but then Concordia would have to absorb a 7-2 Gustie push. Benz would connect with a lay-up at the 8:41 mark and then Kniefel would get a three-point play the old-fashioned way as she would make a hard drive for a finish at the 8:11 mark that drew a foul and her ensuing "and one" pushed the GAC lead to 45-29. Baranick would knock down a pair of free throws at the 7:29 mark to stretch the Gustie lead to 47-31 before the Cobbers could stop a bit of the ongoing bleeding with a tough score in the paint by Anderson at the 6:23 mark. But then, a 9-0 GAC run. Sanders would unleash terror from behind the arc with one of her graceful three-point bombs - this one from the left wing area at the 6:12 mark and Kawiecki would connect with a lay-up at the 5:21 mark to push the lead to nineteen at 52-33. Lanky sophomore reserve forward Morgan Kelly would knock down a jumper from the right elbow area with 4:18 left and Baranick would knock down a pair of freebies after getting fouled with 3:39 left before Concordia finally found a bit of solid footing as diminutive junior reserve guard Maddie Guler banged home a "3" from the right wing with 3:03 left and fellow junior guard Jordyn Kahler got a pair of free throws to go down with 2:25 left that got the Cobbers back to within twenty down 56-38. But the problem for Concordia by now is that they were coming up with WAY too many empty possessions and bleeding too much on defense - a sure death sentence against this Gustie team. And that point could be emphasized even more as GAC ended this third period on a 5-2 push. Hauger would get one free throw to go down after getting fouled with 2;14 left and Baranick would use a burst of speed for a drive and finish with 1:05 left as would Kniefel with :21 left as the former Medford standout made a daring dart into the lane for a finish as the Gusties took a commanding 61-40 lead. For Concordia, the story for them at this particular point would be Jerry Reed singing "We got a long way to go, and a short time to get there."
And the Cobbers fortunes only sank further into the abyss once the fourth period got underway. Lanky sophomore forward Symone Beld collected her fifth foul of the afternoon at the 9:47 mark and had to retreat to the bench and GAC kept on coming with their artillery barrage. Hauger would connect with a lay-up at the 7:37 mark and at the 6:56 mark, Hauger; the former Springfield standout, would get one free throw to go down after getting fouled that ballooned the Gustie lead to 64-40. Then Benz; the most under-appreciated player in MIAC Women's Basketball, came through with a couple of scores - a drive and finish at the 6:32 mark and an offensive rebound and putback with 4:50 left that stretched the GAC lead to 68-42. Down the stretch, Concordia could only make some incremental dents into the (now) large deficit. Anderson would get a score in the paint with 4:29 left and Sieben would uncork a "3" from the top of the key with 3:56 left. Senior reserve forward Mary Sem would also get back-to-back scores - one with 3:25 left and then again with 2:44 left - the latter which drew a foul and allowed Sem to knock down the obligatory free throw. Beseman would get a nifty score in the paint off of an inbounds pass with 2:08 left but down 73-54, it was all over save for the tears that would come later as the Gusties applied the finishing touches on this contest. A trio of insurance free throws by Baranick; the former Maple Grove standout with 2:00, 1:20 and :15.5 left was more than enough to seal the deal and although Concordia's Sieben would get the last hurrah score with her three-point bomb from the left wing area with :03.3 left, the Gustavus Adolphus Gusties claimed their second straight MIAC Championship Game - this one on their home floor for the very first time - with a resounding 79-57 victory.
It was definitely celebration time amongst GAC students, fans, parents and, of course the team as the Gustie PA announcer had Journey's "Don't Stop Believin' " blaring on the sound system as the team received its plaque and trophy and began the net-cutting ritual. And why not? When I think about all those great GAC teams from years past that had the ability to get themselves on the cusp of MIAC supremacy but always fell a little bit short, now, those demons have been exorcised once and for all. Last year's unexpected run to the top was incredibly cool but to finally get one at home - in Lund Arena - was incredibly special. And this group did it. And when you look at the box score, you just see total domination in this game by GAC. Rebounding? 32-23 in favor of GAC. Points in the paint? 44-26 GAC. Then consider that the Gusties just stifled a normally hot-shooting Concordia team to 19-53 from FG range for 35.8% and 6-24 from downtown from 25% and it's easy to see that this one was not going to go the Cobbers way. Toss in 18 turnovers by Concordia and that made it even more of a losing proposition. I really, really like this Concordia team and they have got a TON of talent and a TON of potential. But, if they're going to take the next step, I feel that these items need to improve: Defense (by a ton, way too permissive at times; not a good idea to emulate my UCLA Bruins in the fall), rebounding and taking better care of the rock. But you have to give a ton of credit to this team and Head Coach Kim Wagers for taking a huge step forward this year after last season's disappointment. When I spoke with Wagers afterward, she hadn't had a chance to look at the stat sheet but felt that "We really missed a lot of shots" but was quick to credit the Gustie defense for her teams woes on this day. She felt that her team got off to the kind of start she was hoping for and felt that the start of the third period was good but inevitably the missed shots and rebounding issues eventually led to the separation that ensued.
When I spoke with GAC Head Coach Laurie Kelly, she felt that, despite a bit of a slow start in the beginning, it was really more of her team "getting into the groove" as she put it. "For us, defense is such an important part of what we do.....For us, when they make shots, it takes away our ability to run the floor." But she pointed out that once her team's defense took control of things, it really opened up the door for them to get separation which they did. She pointed out that "We weren't going to do anything different. We were just going to play Gustie basketball." Regarding the Selection Show on Monday, all Kelly would say is that, "We don't control any of that stuff" but she made no bones about being excited about the opportunity ahead for her team. "This group I have is just magical" she said. Even more so, Kelly made a specific point about this game and moment and the possibility of doing something really big down the road. "This is for all the players and coaches who came here before us." And yeah, she's excited. And she should be. It's almost like a mystical, magical feeling when you get to this point with so much excitement and so much anticipation that you don't want it to end. And, make no mistake about it. While last year may have arguably been something of a learning experience for this team, this year's version is tested. It's ready. It's prepared to do something big and even I can feel that. They have the confidence and they're a close-knit group and they believe in each other. Do not be surprised if this team leaves some serious carnage in their wake enroute to a big, big run. They can do it.
You look at the box score on this one and when you see that GAC's Baranick led the team on this day with 24 points, you might be inclined to shake your head a bit and say, "Really?" Yeah, really. She's come such a long way in such a short time and she's simply amazing to watch when she's clicking. And Anna Sanders; quietly tallying 16 points in her unassuming way but so heartbreaking deadly for opponents behind the arc. Then you have not one, not two but THREE players with 11 points on this day - Benz, Kawiecki and Hauger. I've spoken about both Benz and Kawiecki at length before but wouldn't be doing my due diligence if I didn't spend some time talking about Hauger out of Springfield. The way she has raised the level of her game in such a relatively short time is nothing short of amazing. Last year with so many injuries on the team, she had to step into an important supporting role player and did pretty good at it. Now, when she comes off the bench, opponents should cringe because she's such a force on the scoring front. And it's about time she got the recognition she deserves.
On the Concordia side, my vote for MIAC POY is still with Beseman and she paced the Cobbers with 13 points on this day even though one could argue that this may not have been one of her better shooting days. Both Sieben and Anderson finished with 12 points on this day and Sem had nine points to help pace the Cobbers.
Oh, before I sing off on this game, regarding the dust-up that happened in the first period between GAC's Kawiecki and Concordia's Anderson, it was really much adieu over nothing on both sides. They had mixed it up a little in the previous game earlier this month and, when the opportunity presented itself on this day, Kawiecki got caught this time for a totally harmless clap. Look, I know officials have a job to do and they normally do it reasonably well despite the fact that we all know that we're not living in a perfect world when it comes to basketball games. That said, if someone does something egregiously bad, he or she should face consequences - absolutely. But, in this particular case where it was nothing more than a little showmanship by each, that's no reason for the officials to make a mountain out of a molehill. If you have to, just issue a verbal warning to each and that'll more than likely be the end of it. I guess the other angle you may be forced to look at it from is if this had been two male college basketball players involved, would they have been treated the same? My guess is probably not. God know I've done (way) worse stuff on the tennis court back in the day and probably got away with a few things that I shouldn't have. So I guess I'm pleading guilty and asking for some sort of repentance here. 😁 But really, at the end of the day, it was much ado about nothing and there was no need for the technical.
A fun MIAC season it was and will have more to say on the NCAA Tournament Selection Show tomorrow.
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