Concordia trailed 43-40 with 9:40 remaining when Lafeyette Bell's two free throws triggered a 12-0 run. Justin Gray's jumper would give the Cougars a 44-43 lead, and then Ward would follow with a three-point bomb and a three-point play inside to up the ante to 50-43. Ryan Young's steal and fast-break lay-up would finish off the run, and the Eagles would get no closer than five points the rest of the way.
Ward's 14 came on 5-6 from the field, including 3-4 from long range, and he would hit his lone free throw. Gray was next in line with 13 points, followed by Young with 12, and Kas Wleklinski and Bell with 11 each.
Matt Harrison, the NIIC's third leading scorer was held to just four points on 2-6 shooting. Tim Swanson scored 19 points, 15 in the first half, to lead Benedictine, and Alan Fudge added 16.
The win was Concordia's eighth of the season, doubling their win total from all of last year. The Cougars also finished the first half of their 10-game conference schedule with a 3-2 record after going 2-10 last season.
Newspaper Box Score Benedictine University vs Concordia (IL) University 01/25/06 7:30p at River Forest, IL - Geiseman Gymnasium At River Forest, IL - Geiseman Gymnasium CONCORDIA (IL) UNIVERSITY 71, BENEDICTINE UNIVERSITY 60 BENEDICTINE UNIVERSITY (7-10, 1-3 NIIC) SWANSON, Tim 6-10 3-6 19; FUDGE, Alan 4-9 8-8 16; OLSON, Andrew 3-4 1-1 7; DUSNMORE, Jordan 3-8 0-0 6; FRANKLIN, Jimmy 2-10 1-1 5; HARRISON, Matt 2-6 0-0 4; JONES, Matt 1-5 1-2 3; HAMILTON, Aaron 0-1 0-0 0; MEEGAN, Ryan 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-53 14-18 60. CONCORDIA (IL) UNIVERSITY (8-9, 3-2 NIIC) WARD, Ryan 5-6 1-1 14; GRAY, Justin 4-7 5-6 13; YOUNG, Ryan 3-10 5-6 12; WLEKLINSKI, Kas 3-6 3-6 11; BELL, Lafeyette 4-7 2-2 11; SMITH, Bobby 1-4 3-4 5; GANEK, Bryan 1-4 0-0 3; MIKRUT, David 1-6 0-0 2; TRIMBLE, David 0-0 0-0 0; SPEAKS, Jacob 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-50 19-25 71. Benedictine University........ 27 33 - 60 Concordia (IL) University..... 28 43 - 71 3-point goals-Benedictine University 4-21 (SWANSON, Tim 4-8; FUDGE, Alan 0-4; FRANKLIN, Jimmy 0-4; HARRISON, Matt 0-2; JONES, Matt 0-3), Concordia (IL) University 8-17 (WARD, Ryan 3-4; WLEKLINSKI, Kas 2-2; BELL, Lafeyette 1-2; YOUNG, Ryan 1-4; GANEK, Bryan 1-1; MIKRUT, David 0-3; GRAY, Justin 0-1). Fouled out--Benedictine University-OLSON, Andrew, Concordia (IL) University-None. Rebounds-Benedictine University 34 (FRANKLIN, Jimmy 8; HARRISON, Matt 8), Concordia (IL) University 30 (GANEK, Bryan 7). Assists-Benedictine University 10 (HARRISON, Matt 5), Concordia (IL) University 12 (MIKRUT, David 5). Total fouls-Benedictine University 22, Concordia (IL) University 20. A-225