CUW Overcomes Halftime Deficit to Defeat CUC

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - In their final-ever Concordia Invitational Tournament (CIT) game, the Concordia University Wisconsin Falcons overcame a seven-point halftime deficit to defeat the Concordia Chicago Cougars, 69-65, and improve to 9-9 overall. The victory marked the Falcons' fourth consecutive win over CUC.

Despite a tough loss the previous night, the Falcons responded with resilience, particularly after a shaky first half. "After Friday night's loss, we came together and found a new level of commitment to each other," said head coach Shawn Cassidy. "We showed great heart, overcoming some early mistakes and finishing the game with strong defensive play."

The Cougars, determined to avenge an earlier loss to CUW, came out strong and held a 39-32 lead at halftime. However, the Falcons returned from the break with renewed energy. Junior Logan Landers (Cedarburg, Wis.) took control in the second half, nearly outscoring the Cougars by himself with 21 points—while CUC managed only 25.

Landers was instrumental in the comeback, starting with back-to-back layups from him and sophomore Casey Verhagen (Sheboygan, Wis.) to trim the deficit to just one point. At the 16-minute mark, Landers electrified the crowd with a massive dunk in transition, giving the Falcons a 42-41 lead.

The game turned into a back-and-forth battle, with neither team able to gain a commanding lead. By the midway point of the second half, CUW led 52-48, but the Cougars kept fighting. Each time CUC threatened to close the gap, the Falcons responded. With just two minutes remaining, Verhagen sank a clutch free throw to extend the Falcons' lead to six.

In the final moments, the Falcons sealed the victory with efficient free-throw shooting. Landers and Verhagen combined to hit the last four attempts, securing the 69-65 win.

Landers finished with a team-high 23 points and added eight rebounds, while Verhagen contributed 21 points. Sophomore Matt Merlo (Random Lake, Wis.) also reached double figures with 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting. Off the bench, Luke Eggemeyer (Perryville, Mo.) chipped in five points.

"The CIT weekend is a fantastic opportunity for the CUW community to come together and support each other," Coach Cassidy added. "I'm so proud of our students, our cheer team, our dance team, our band, and both basketball teams for staying positive and representing CUW in such a challenging environment."

Logan Landers was voted to the All-Tournament Team later on Saturday night. 

With the CIT behind them, the Falcons will now shift their focus to conference action, traveling to Illinois Tech on Wednesday night.