by AJ Schlott

2/16/19 – In a fitting finish to a rough season, the Concordia University Chicago (CUC) Cougars found themselves on the wrong end of a 99-88 loss against the Aurora University Spartans this past Saturday. The Cougars honored seniors Mitch Pelissier and Jamal Turner, both of whom wrapped up their NCAA careers with Concordia Chicago.

The first half was a back and forth battle, with both teams taking leads and giving them up. The Cougars offense, led by Pelissier, brought an onslaught of points, nailing key three pointers as well as locking down inside the paint. As halftime approached, it looked as if the Cougars would head to the locker room down by 6 (points), but freshman Landen Gladney would see to that as he hit a buzzer beater, bringing the halftime score to 50-54.

That shot must have shook the Spartans as they came out with a renewed fury to kick things off in the second half. Gladney’s shot must have also inspired the Cougars, as they came out just as strong, and the offensive bombardment began again. Despite bringing the score down to just a one point difference, the men in blue from Aurora University would not give up. As the Cougars would got close, the Spartans would pull away, and this game of tag would continue on long towards the final minutes of the game. Ultimately, the Cougars would not be able to keep up, and one last run from the Spartans was more than enough to seal the outcome of the game.

With this loss, the Concordia University Chicago Cougars mens’ basketball team finished the season at 6-19 overall and with a 6-14 conference record. Thank you to all the fans for their continual support all season long, and thank you to our seniors for their dedication and contribution to the team over their years here.