SOUTHFIELD--Senior guard
Brandon Beavers stuffed the statsheet with 21 points and game highs of nine rebounds, five assists and four steals, but Dylan Jergens scored 21 points--including the last five in the game--as visiting Concordia (Michigan) escaped with a 72-70 win over Lawrence Tech in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference men's basketball opener for both squads on Saturday at the Don Ridler Field House. The Cardinals are now 2-1 overall while the Blue Devils are 2-3 on the season.
Lawrence Tech Highlights
- Junior guard Aaron Dolny chipped in 14 points and four rebounds.
- Senior forward Alejandro Gonzalez added eight points and eight rebounds, while junior guard Blake Lund posted eight points and seven rebounds.
Concordia (Mich.) Highlights
- Zavion McClendon led the Cardinals with a game-best 25 points (8-16 FGs, 5-10 3FGs, 4-5 FTs) and nine rebounds.
- Nate Brighton contributed 12 points, five rebounds, two assists, two blocked shots and two steals.
How it Happened
- Jergens broke a 70-70 tie with a driving layup with six seconds left after Beavers tied it with a pair of free throws eight seconds earlier.
- Lawrence Tech had the last possession for a chance to send the game into overtime or win it with a trey, but couldn't get off a shot.
- Jergens also gave CUAA a 69-68 lead on a pair of free throws with 43 seconds remaining and had another free throw to make it 70-68 at the :27 mark.
- Junior Cameron McEvans (7 points) gave LTU its second lead of the game, 68-67, on a three-pointer from the right wing with 1 minute and 44 seconds left, as the Blue Devils overcame a 13-point deficit earlier in the second half.
- CUAA led 43-34 at the intermission.
- Trailing 26-16 with 8:52 to go in the first half, LTU battled back to take its first lead of 28-26 at 5:38 on a Gonzalez triple.
- The Cardinals took advantage of its opportunities at the free throw line, making 22 of 26 attempts for 84.6 percent. LTU was 9-for-12.
Beyond the Boxscore
- Lund's seven rebounds this afternoon are a career high.
- The Cardinals have won three of the last five meetings.
Lawrence Tech returns to the court on Tuesday (7 p.m.) in a non-WHAC conflict at Spring Arbor University in Spring Arbor.
