IRVINE, Calif. – The CUI men's basketball team came up with a clutch win on Thursday night against PacWest opponent Chaminade, collecting its fourth win in their last six games. With the win, Concordia improved to 9-7 on the season with a 6-4 record in conference play. This was the second time these two teams had faced off this season, the first taking place in December when Chaminade defeated Concordia 69-62.
 
Both teams got off to a slow start in the first half, with the score sitting at just 10-5 after ten minutes of play. CUI's offense quickly turned it around, outscoring the 'Swords 13-7 over the next five minutes. That stretch included a foul on Wayne Arnold beyond the arc, subsequently allowing him to make all three free throws. Arnold would finish the game with a team-leading 22 points, while also recording six rebounds and going a perfect 5-for-5 from the charity stripe. Thursday's performance was Arnold's 12^th 20-point game of the season, and he currently ranks ninth in the nation with 23.2 points per game.
 
The offense continued to pour it on in the second half, outscoring CUH 41-34. Joshua Caston and Arnold took turns draining open shots, with the duo scoring 12 consecutive points for the Eagles in the middle of the half to increase the lead to 54-47. Freshman Kobe Sanders showed off his ball handling, creating multiple opportunities to score as he would go on to finish the half with eight points, two treys, and four assists. Kayle Knuckles and Rodrick McCobb also combined for an additional 18 points in the game, bringing the CUI total to 70.
 
One of the biggest stories of the game was the Green & Gold's ability to force misses from the Silversword's offense. Chaminade shot 33 percent from both the floor and three-point range, due in large part to the pressure of the Eagles' defense. CUI currently ranks third in the nation on three-point defense, allowing opponents to make just 27.4 percent of treys on the season. In addition to three-point defense, both Arnold and senior Jalen Sanders locked it down in the paint, each recording four blocks on attempted layups.
 

"That's the toughest we've battled in a long time," said CUI head coach Ken Ammann. "Chaminade is extremely physical and really made it tough to get good shots. We had to work hard for every basket and stop tonight.  Stats won't show how hard we competed to get rebounds. We took several big steps forward as a group tonight."

 
CUI concludes their homestead against Hawaii schools on Saturday, Jan. 29 at 7:30 PM against Hawaii Pacific. The Eagles previously defeated the Sharks with a 71-54 win in November at the Shark Tank in Hawaii.

As of Jan. 27, CUI Athletics is allowing up to 500 spectators in CU Arena. Tickets can be purchased HERE.
 
A reminder that masks are required indoors and must be worn at all times per the California state mandate.

CLICK HERE for the updated spectator policy that went into effect on Thursday, Jan 27 for games inside CU Arena.

CLICK HERE for the CUI men's basketball schedule