RIVER FOREST, IL - The Benedictine University men's basketball team used an 18-0 first half run to pull past Concordia Chicago and win the conference opener in the first of back-to-back weekend games.

FINAL SCORE
Benedictine 68, Concordia Chicago 54

THE DETAILS
• Playing for the first time since January 14, Benedictine needed just over two minutes to convert on their first field goal
• Trailing 15-10 near the halfway points of the first, Chris Hester opened the run with a three-point play
• Nate Shead tied the game with a transition jumper at the 8:56 mark and a free throw from Michael Johnson put Benedictine in front for good
• Shead extended the lead to double figures with another transition basket while Connor Riley finished the run with a second chance basket to make the score 28-15 with less than two minutes remaining
• Six different players scored during the run
• The defense held the hosts without a field goal for nearly nine minutes from the 10:18 mark until a three-pointer with 1:29 left in the half
• Concordia Chicago used an 8-1 run early in the second half to pull within 42-38 at the 12:58 mark
• Kyle Graebner knocked down a three-pointer with 8:45 left to once again extend the lead to double figures at 52-42 with 8:45 remaining
• Another triple from Graebner along with a trey from Cade Ellingson and a Trevor Montiel free throw were part of a 7-0 spurt to make the score 59-44 and Concordia Chicago never got closer than 11 the rest of the way

STAT LEADERS
• Benedictine shot 54.5 percent from the floor and visited the free throw line 26 times
• Benedictine also finished +12 on the glass (33-21)
• Shead led three players in double figures with 14
• Montiel totaled 12 points and six rebounds with Hester adding 10 to go with five boards
• 10 different players scored in the win while 15 saw the floor

UP NEXT
Benedictine (1-1, 1-0 NACC) meets Concordia Chicago on the road again on Saturday night at 5:00 p.m.