Doane jumped out to a commanding 17 point lead in the first half but Concordia University chipped away and eventually came back to take a lead against the Tigers in the second half. However, the Tigers held their own, never trailing by more than three, and came away with a 66-64 victory over the Bulldogs.
Doane used a 12-4 run midway through the first half to open up a seven point lead, led by Dane Cruz and Brett McFarland's combined eight points during the stretch. Concordia battled back after falling down by 17 and trailed by only 11 points heading into halftime.
In the second half, Doane was cold from the floor. The Tigers didn't hit their first field goal until 16:40 left in the game, missing on scoring opportunities in their first five possessions. The Bulldogs eventually grabbed a lead with 8:53 remaining when Dustin Weber hit one of his six three-point baskets.
As the two teams went back and forth, Doane eventually held a four point advantage with 2:16 remaining in the game. Baskets in the paint by Andy Banahan and Tyler Bredehoeft tied the game at 62-62 with 1:13 remaining. The Tigers, on their next possession, were able to work the ball into Kolby Hamilton, who was fouled, and he knocked down a pair of free throws to give Doane a two point edge with 54 seconds remaining.
Concordia came back and received another basket in the paint by Bredehoeft to tie the game again. With the shot clock winding down and the Tigers with possession, Dane Cruz stepped up and knocked down a 14-foot jumper with nine seconds remaining. Concordia's three-point attempt as time expired rimmed out and Doane held on for a two point victory.
Dane Cruz paced the Tigers with 23 points and five assists. Tyler Cyboron added 14 points, all in the first half, behind 4-of-4 shooting from behind the three-point arc. Kolby Hamilton added 11 points and seven rebounds while Jack Lind also pulled down seven boards.
Concordia was led by Dustin Weber's 21 points. Benjamin Buhr added 14 points for the Bulldogs.
Up Next
Doane will travel to Blair, Neb., on February 6 to take on the Vikings of Dana College. The game can be heard on the Tiger Sports Network, tip-off scheduled for 7:30 PM.