Dec. 3, 2016 – At their best, the Concordia-Chicago women's basketball team is able to use their pressing defense to create opposing turnovers, score points in transition and dictate the pace of the game. That was the case this afternoon as the Cougars traveled to Madison, WI to take on Edgewood College in Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference play.  The Cougars had two big runs of play fueled by steals, the second one resulting in a deciding run late in the third quarter, and CUC went on to an 84-62 win over the Eagles.

The Cougars came out as they often do with larceny in their hearts and got out to the early lead. After Taylor Jacobsen scored the opening two points, Courtney Lofink made a steal on the inbounds and scored an easy two. The Cougars scored eight of their first 10 points directly off of steals. Edgewood closed to within 13-12, but Lauren Orr and T. Jacobsen hit threes as part of a 10-0 run as the visitors led 23-13 after the first 10 minutes.

In the second quarter, the Cougars began to shoot the three with more regularity. T. Jacobsen gave CUC a 13-point lead with the first bucket of the quarter, and Miranda Rogers connected twice from the outside. A putback by Crystal Corr gave CUC a 38-31 with xxx left before the half, but the Cougars fell into a string of turnovers. The Eagles closed the half with a 6-0 run and had a chance for the lead at the buzzer, but for an off-target three from the right wing.

Orr's three and Sarah Smith's jumper got CUC started in the third quarter, but Edgewood soared back and took their first lead of the game, 44-43 at the 6:35 mark. The teams exchanged leads over the next minute before T. Jacobsen's two free throws put CUC back on top 47-46. Unknown at the time, this lead would last for the remainder of the game as Edgewood was getting into foul trouble. The Cougars scored their next three points at the line. Lofink then made two consecutive steals, one leading to her own layup and the second setting up an Annika Raethree. An Erin Jacobsen steal then preceded a Corr layup to complete a 12-0 run. The Cougars led 57-46 and finished the quarter with a 64-51 advantage.

The fourth quarter saw the Cougars keep the Eagles at bay, not allowing the lead to shrink below double digits. T. Jacobsen hit from downtown again, and Smith's two scores bumped the lead up to 75-55. Later on, Lofink scored to give the Cougars their biggest lead at 27 points, and CUC was able to wrap up its third victory overall and end a two-game conference losing streak.

T. Jacobsen's 20 points led the way in this game while Lofink finished with 13 points, 11 assists and nine of the Cougars' 20 steals. E. Jacobsen recorded 11 points, four assists and three steals, and Orr made it four players in double figures with 10 points. Edgewood's Allison Gordon led all scorers with 22 points.
 
The Cougars will take this week off for semester finals. They return to action next Saturday, Dec. 10 when they play at Wisconsin Lutheran College.