Warriors Battle Early but Fall to No. 13 Concordia

FREMONT, Neb. – Midland University took the court inside the Wikert Event Center on Wednesday night for a Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) matchup against No. 13 Concordia University. Before the game, fans and teams recognized those battling and affected by cancer as part of the Warriors' annual Coaches vs. Cancer game. The event, which is sponsored by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and the American Cancer Society, saw coaches and staff pairing their suits with sneakers in support of the cause. The game saw Midland fall to its ranked guests by a score of 98-73.

Concordia opened the game with a three-pointer, but Rece Kissinger quickly answered with one of his own as both teams exchanged baskets early. Back-to-back three-pointers by Jake Orr gave the Warriors an 11-8 lead. However, the Bulldogs responded with a 5-0 run, prompting a Midland timeout. Following the break, Concordia extended its momentum with a 10-3 run, pulling ahead 23-14 and forcing another timeout.

After the stoppage, both teams traded baskets until Jeff Rozelle III sparked a 7-2 run for the Warriors. The Bulldogs answered with a 5-2 spurt before calling their own timeout. In the final three minutes of the half, Rozelle III drained a three-pointer to cut the deficit to four, 36-32. However, Concordia closed the half on a 10-2 run, taking a 46-34 lead into the locker room.

After intermission, Concordia widened the gap with a 9-0 run. Trey McCain and Ryan Larsen ended Midland's scoring drought with a quick 5-0 burst, but the Bulldogs remained in control, countering with a 9-2 run before calling a timeout. Following the break, Larsen helped chip away at the deficit with another 5-2 run, but Concordia continued to pull away. Kissinger tried to reignite Midland's offense with an 8-0 surge, but the Bulldogs responded with three consecutive three-pointers before taking another timeout.

In the final minutes, both teams traded baskets. The Bulldogs used a 5-0 run before Midland called a timeout heading into the last minute. The Warriors closed the game on a 5-3 run, but it wasn't enough as they fell 98-73 at home.

Orr led Midland with a double-double, posting 14 points and 10 rebounds. Larsen followed with 11 points, while Rozelle added 10.

Midland shot 29-of-66 (43.9%), while Concordia finished 35-of-65 (53.8%). The Bulldogs shot 51.6% from beyond the arc and outrebounded the Warriors 43-28.

"Their offensive efficiency is really good and they showed that tonight—they made shots. Credit to them," commented head coach Tyler Erwin. "They've been on a heater, winning the past 10 games. They're healthy, and we're not, but that's not an excuse.

"It was just one of those nights where it wasn't our night. I thought we had a good game plan, but it just didn't go our way. The next couple of days will be about trying to get healthy, but we'll be ready. We're in a fight and it's been great to be in the conference mix. I'm really excited about the opportunities ahead, and our guys have been resilient."

When asked to comment about the Coaches vs. Cancer festivities, Coach Erwin had this to say. "This was our third year doing it. The support and awareness we've raised has been incredible. Seeing everyone wearing pink, holding up signs, and having a great crowd tonight—it was special. Our guys embraced it, and it was just a great moment that's bigger than basketball. It was amazing to see everyone come together for such a great cause."

Midland (10-13, 5-10 GPAC) will look to bounce back when it hosts Dakota Wesleyan (15-6, 8-5 GPAC) on Saturday, February 1. Tipoff is set for 3:45 p.m. inside the Wikert Event Center in Fremont.