Bulldogs collect third straight 100-point game in victory against Ottawa 

Dane Jacobsen shoots a free throw against Ottawa.

Photo: Max Fritsche

By Christian Myers

Concordia men’s basketball shone as a collective in their 100-67 victory over Ottawa on Saturday. It was a night filled with aggressive defense and identifying alternate ways to score. The Bulldogs struggled early from beyond the arc, but the ability to force turnovers led them to their third straight 100-point win.  

All 15 players on the Bulldog roster managed to earn a few minutes, while 14 of them notched at least one bucket. No one player commanded the game. Concordia’s top scorer, senior Brooks Kissinger, led the team with 17 points, going 8-12 from the field. He was followed up by a 15-point performance from freshman Derek Tonjes, who also grabbed two steals and two offensive rebounds.  

“Every guy impacted the game in some capacity, and certainly our starters set the tone early,” coach Ben Limback said.  

To start the game, Concordia went 0-9 from three-point range. The team looked to be disturbed by how wide open they were. This forced the Bulldogs to lean on other areas of their offensive game. Interestingly enough, their defense is what made the magic happen. 14 steals for the Dogs created chaos on the court and resulted in plenty of easy transition buckets.  

“I didn’t realize it was nine, but it felt like a lot,” Limback said with a laugh. “I think we have to find different ways to score, and we did that tonight with a lot of transition and some offensive rebounding. That’s what’s going to make this team dangerous, if we understand various ways to score.” 

Eventually, Concordia began to find their footing behind the three-point line as well. Garret Johnson sank the Bulldogs’ first of what would be nine total three-pointers and was quickly followed by sophomore Peyton Brown and senior Hayden Frank. Altogether, the team shot 33.3% from three, not elite but, considering their start, a quality recovery.  

Overall, the Bulldogs went 54.8% from the field while also compiling 18 assists, 12 offensive rebounds, and four blocks. 29 points came from turnovers and another 12 from second-chance opportunities. The lack of pushback from Ottawa was unexpected, but that didn’t stop the Bulldogs from playing their game aggressively.  

“That’s the kind of basketball we like to play, fast basketball. If you have an open shot, knock it down; we trust each other,” junior Dane Jacobsen said. 

Next up for the Bulldogs is the introduction of Great Plains Athletic Conference play. The competition at home so far has been underwhelming, but once GPAC play is underway, expect a whole new competitive atmosphere to take over Friedrich Arena.  

“In GPAC play, everybody knows everybody. The offenses in the GPAC are unbelievable, so our defensive effort is gonna have to continue to get better,” Jacobsen said. 

With the win against Ottawa, Concordia’s record improves to 4-1 on the season. The Bulldogs will head to Forest City, Iowa, to take on the Warriors of Waldorf University on Nov. 14th.