Box Score

ST. PAUL, MINN.: Concordia University shot 55.1 from the field while connecting on 11 three-pointers to earn a big 73-54 victory over Southwest Minnesota State on Friday night in St. Paul, Minn.  SMSU's 54 points tied for its second lowest output of the season.

SMSU, ranked ninth in the latest NCAA regional rankings, drops to 15-11 overall, 10-7 NSIC, while CSP improves to 15-11 overall, 9-8 NSIC.  SMSU will host a first round game in the upcoming NSIC tournament but needs a victory on Saturday over MSU Moorhead and a loss by Wayne State at Concordia to clinch the No. 3 seed in the tournament.

Both teams shot poorly from the floor in the opening 10 minutes of the game as the game was tied 8-8 with 10:47 on the clock.  CSP opened a 16-8 lead with 8:30 left in the half before SMSU rallied and took a lead with 1:02 left in the half on a three-pointer by Travis Krenske to give SMSU a 25-24 lead.  Jason Birr hit a three-pointer for CSP in the final seconds to give the Golden Bears a 27-25 lead at halftime.

CSP poured it on early in the second continuing to drill three-pointers and built a 49-33 lead with 13 minutes left in the contest and never looked back.

Craig Heiman led the Golden Bears with 32 points on 12 of 19 shooting including 5 three-pointers.  It's the second straight big scoring game for Heiman, who scored 36 points at Upper Iowa last Saturday night.

Krenske led SMSU with 14 points and drilled a team-high four three-pointers.  SMSU shot just 38 percent from the field (19 of 50) including just 6 of 20 from three-point range (30.0).

SMSU will conclude the regular season tomorrow night at Minnesota State Moorhead.