Kissinger on fire in 85-69 men’s basketball win over Doane

The men’s basketball team celebrates a successful game (photo from previous game).

Photo credit: Kai Olbrich

By Kai Olbrich

Sports Editor

Junior Brooks Kissinger had his second 28-point game in a row as the Concordia men’s basketball team stormed out to a big first-half lead and maintained it through the second to win 85-69 on Wednesday over Doane.

The Bulldogs had to bounce back after a tough loss to Waldorf on Jan. 31, a team that has just two Great Plains Athletic Conference wins on the season.

The Bulldogs seemed to use the loss as fuel, however, as they scored 39 points in the first half while holding the Tigers to just 24. The second half was much more even, with Concordia edging the scoreboard 46-45. But the damage had already been done, and the Bulldogs walked away 17-point victors.

Kissinger wasn’t just a scoring threat on Wednesday; he also grabbed eight rebounds, dished out four assists, got five steals and put up a block for one of the most complete performances of his career.

Three players brought up the No. 2 rank in Concordia scoring. Senior Zac Kulus and juniors Jaxon Stueve and Tate Odvody each contributed 12 points.

The Bulldogs struggled a bit from range, as just 30 percent of their three-point attempts ended up on the scoreboard. The overall field-goal percentage was solid at 52.7 percent, reflecting Concordia’s ability to score in and around the paint.

Concordia was able to manage some returning players thanks to its deep bench. Seven Bulldogs entered the game at various points, with three of them receiving over 10 minutes of action.

The 16-8, 10-6 GPAC Bulldogs are back in action on Saturday to take on Morningside. The Bulldogs lost a tight one in early January 91-87, and will look to flip the result, now with the home court advantage. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:45 p.m.