Men’s Basketball Dominates Dolphins

DAYTONA, Fla. – The Concordia University Wisconsin men's basketball team improved to 2-6 on the season with an 84-64 victory over Mount Saint Vincent. The Falcons dominated the Dolphins in all phases of the game, pulling away in the second half after building a solid first-half lead.

Concordia got off to a strong start, with sophomore Severin Hilt (West Bend, Wis.) knocking down a three-pointer from the wing to open the scoring. Hilt followed up moments later with a smooth pull-up jumper from midrange.

The Dolphins quickly tied the game at 8-8, but junior Logan Landers (Cedarburg, Wis.) answered with a tough layup inside to regain the lead for the Falcons.

Freshman Luke Eggemeyer (Perryville, Mo.) provided an immediate spark off the bench, converting a strong finish inside after a beautiful assist from sophomore Casey Verhagen (Sheboygan, Wis.), who threaded the needle through Mount Saint Vincent's zone defense.

Defensively, senior Jonah Jurss (Sheboygan, Wis.) showcased his shot-blocking ability with a one-handed rejection of a Dolphins layup. The game would again be tied at 14-14, but Jurss answered with a quick three-pointer from the left wing, putting the Falcons up by three.

Eggemeyer then went on a personal 4-0 run, hitting a jump shot and sinking two free throws to extend Concordia's advantage. Sophomore Random Lake (Random Lake, Wis.) added to the lead with a pump-fake move before finishing with a layup, and sophomore Jacob Christjohn (Milwaukee, Wis.) drilled a three-pointer off a pass from sophomore Mekhi Sutton (San Diego, Calif.) to give the Falcons a 10-point lead.

Landers added a baseline jumper, and Christjohn hit another three in transition as Sutton started the break with a steal. By halftime, Concordia held a 35-25 lead.

The Falcons came out of the break with continued intensity, as Verhagen knocked down a jump shot and Landers converted another layup. Hilt hit another mid-range jumper to maintain Concordia's double-digit lead.

Verhagen then took over, hitting back-to-back three-pointers on consecutive possessions to stretch the lead to 16 points, 55-39, with 12:11 remaining.

The Dolphins struggled with fouls, including both flagrant and technical fouls, and Concordia capitalized on the opportunities, building their lead to as much as 18 points at 70-52. The Falcons' hot shooting continued late in the game, with Landers hitting a mid-range jumper and Matt Merlo (Random Lake, Wis.) drilling a three-pointer in front of the Falcons' bench.

With 3:06 left, Verhagen sealed the win with his third three-pointer of the night, pushing the lead to 22 points. Sophomore Javanni Blackman (Milwaukee, Wis.) capped the scoring with six points in the final minutes, including four made free throws and a smooth baseline floater. Junior Will Bauer (New Berlin, Wis.) finished the game with a nice up-and-under layup, giving the Falcons their final 84-64 victory.

I" am proud of our team for playing with intensity but yet keeping their heads when the game got heated" said head coach Shawn Cassidy. "I'm also equally proud of their focus and their attention in executing the game plan against a dangerous team."

As a team, the Falcons shot an efficient 44.4% from three-point range, making 8-of-18 attempts. They also limited Mount Saint Vincent to just 37.7% shooting (23-of-61) from the field. Concordia won the rebounding battle, 39-33, and dished out more assists than the Dolphins, finishing with a 17-11 advantage.

Verhagen led all scorers with 23 points, all coming in the second half. He also contributed six assists and three steals, going a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc. Sutton added four assists and three steals. Landers recorded a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds, shooting over 50% from the field. Merlo finished with 12 points, while Eggemeyer added eight points off the bench.

The Falcons will continue their Florida trip on Saturday, when they take on Lasell.