(Courtesy of Midland University Athletics)
SEWARD, Neb. – Midland University’s men’s basketball program began Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) play on Wednesday night with a road matchup against Concordia University. The Warriors dropped just their second game of the season as they fell to the Bulldogs, 80-63.
Midland has relied heavily on the three-point shot this season and Wednesday’s game-plan was no different. Of the Warriors’ 55 shot attempts, 35 were three-point attempts. Unfortunately, they only connected on nine of those attempts as they shot their lowest percentage of the season from behind the arc, 25.7%.
The first half was an offensive struggle for Midland, earning more turnovers (4) than assists (3) and shooting a lowly 31.4% from the field. On the other end of the court, Concordia found their groove early, shooting 53.9% from the field. The Warriors’ aggression on defense kept the game within reach as they forced seven turnovers and trailed 40-27 at halftime.
In the second half, the Warriors’ offense picked up particularly in earning their way to the stripe, where they shot 14-of-15 (93.3%) in the period.
While the Warriors’ offense began to spark, the Bulldogs’ scoring did not break stride. Concordia again connected on over half of their shots, 13-of-24 (54.2%), and was accurate from behind the arc, shooting 7-of-12 (58.3%).
Bo Sandquist went the distance for the Warriors, playing all 40 minutes. He led the team in scoring with 21 points while Laurence Merritt added 15 points to join him in double-digits. On the glass, the backcourt running mates were also the tops of the team with four rebounds each.
Up next for Midland (5-2, 0-1 GPAC) will be their GPAC home opener. They host No. 10-ranked Jamestown (7-0, 1-0 GPAC) on Saturday, November 20. Tip-off is set for 7:45 p.m. inside the Wikert Event Center in Fremont.
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