The Concordia Men's Basketball Team (17-9, 10-7 PWC) honored four seniors prior to Saturday night's non-conference clash with California State University Los Angeles (12-14, 8-12 CCAA). The Eagles celebrated Adam Turner, Anderson Clarke, JT Roach and Tad Dufelmeier Jr. Despite a slow start, Concordia emerged victorious over CSULA by a final score of 81-69.

Senior Spotlight
Turner played four years for Concordia, winning a total of 82 games. An offensive and defensive threat, he shot 55% from the field over the course of his career, while also leading the team in blocks in 2016.

Clarke averaged over 20 wins per season during his four years at Concordia. Head Coach Ken Ammann praised the forward as "one of the best teammates I've coached," lauding his leadership, character and team-first attitude. 

Roach set the Concordia and PacWest Conference record for three-pointers made in a game this season, draining 12 from beyond the arc at home against Chaminade on February 10^th. Roach was named 2^nd team All-PacWest in 2016, a season in which he helped lead Concordia to tie for first place in the conference in the team's first year of provisional membership.

Dufelmeier Jr earned All-PacWest Honorable Mention in 2017, and currently leads the conference in assists per game. Averaging 5.6 assists per game over his career at Concordia, the point guard earned the praise of Coach Ammann as "the best passer I've coached here" and "a special offensive talent."

How It Happened
Cold shooting plagued both teams at the onset of the game. The Eagles were kept off of the scoreboard for nearly six minutes until Roach followed a free-throw make with a deep three-pointer to tie the score at 4-4. A trio of Concordia forwards came off the bench and provided a huge spark down the stretch of the first half, with Tyler Lacour posting seven points and Geoff Gerlach and Cameron English adding a layup each. Mike Mellinger added five points in the final four minutes of the half to give the Eagles a 25-21 lead, but the quick pace and defensive tenacity of CSULA allowed the visiting Golden Eagles to send the game to halftime tied at 25-25.

The second half picked up right where the neck-and-neck first left off. Dufelmeier Jr and Brian Chambers each dropped four points within the first eight minutes, but Golden Eagles forward Jalyn Pennie kept the visitors right in the game with eight points of his own. A pair of free throws put Cal State Los Angeles up 40-38 with just over 13 minutes left in the half, but Mellinger responded with a clutch three-pointer to give Concordia a lead it would not relinquish. The Eagles' senior guards took over the final 12 minutes of play, with Dufelmeier Jr and Roach combining for 22 points in a 40-29 run to close out the game. Senior forwards Turner and Clarke subbed back onto the CU Arena court in the final minute to rousing applause, while Dufelmeier Jr and Roach subbed off to a similar, triumphant ovation.

By the Numbers
Seniors Roach and Dufelmeier Jr led the Eagles in scoring, notching 17 and 16 points respectively, while Turner contributed five rebounds and a steal. Chambers tallied 15 points and Lacour added 11 points off the bench, shooting 56% from the field. Concordia overcame the slow start to the game by shooting 67.86% from the field and 68.18% from three-point range in the second half.

What's Next
The Eagles now head on a crucial three-game road trip to Northern California, starting with a visit to Dominican University on February 20th. Concordia's 10-7 conference record currently places them in fifth place in the PacWest conference, with a half-game advantage over Chaminade and Academy of Art. The top six teams in the conference will compete in the PacWest Tournament in Riverside next month.