LISLE, Ill. – The Benedictine University men's basketball team  shot just 23 percent from behind the arc as the Eagles dropped an 85-83 decision to No. 25 Concordia University-Wisconsin on Saturday afternoon in the Northern Athletics Conference challenge game.

 

 

Both teams traded baskets to start the first half. With 18 lead changes it looked to be anybody's game until a three-pointer from Mitchell Schneider ignited the Concordia-Wisconsin (22-3, 16-0) offense and allowed them to hold the lead for the rest of the half, taking a 47-42 halftime advantage.

 

 

The Eagles tied the game early in the second half with a layup from Nate Green but the Falcons answered right back and would go up by as many as 12 with 13:18 remaining.

 

 

Over the next six minutes Benedictine would continue to chop at the Falcon lead, cutting it to within one after a steal from Terry Licht and two free throws from Snelling. The Eagles had several chances to take the lead but missed their next three attempts and allowed Concordia to take a seven point advantage.

 

 

Two three-pointers in the final seconds from Jerrell Tribble and Green put the Eagles within two but it wasn't enough as the Falcons edged the Eagles 85-83.

 

Green led all players with 27 points and had five assists while Tribble scored 17 points and had six rebounds. Two other Eagles scored in double-figures including Snelling with his 17^th double-double of the year scoring 16 points and grabbing 15 rebounds and Licht with 10 points and eight rebounds.

 

The Eagles did out-rebound CUW 48-43 but had 11 turnovers compared to the Falcons nine. Benedictine was just 7-for-30 from behind the arc (23.3 percent) and 32-for-76 from the floor (42.1 percent). As a team, Concordia-Wisconsin shot 44.1 percent from the floor (30-for-68) and 11-for-27 from behind the arc (40.7 percent).

 

Duke Doedens led CUW with 21 points.

 

The Eagles enter the NAC Tournament as the No. 2 overall seed and will host the No. 7 seed, Rockford College, on Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. in the Dan and Ada Rice Center. For more information on the tournament, visit the NAC website at www.northernac.org.