Concordia-Nebraska 72, Concordia-Ann Arbor 62

(Jan. 29, 2010 - Mequon, Wisc.) -- Forward Rocko Holmes (So.- Cadillac, Mich.) nearly had a double-double with 20 points and nine rebounds while Marius Williams (Jr. - Belleville, Mich.) added 17 for the Concordia Cardinal men's basketball team, but the duo received little help from their teammates as the Bulldogs of Concordia-Nebraska pulled away in the men's opening game of the 59th Annual Concordia Invitational Tournament with a 72-62 win.

The Cardinals enjoyed a lead as much as five-points as late at 7:19 remaining in the first-half as Williams knocked down a jumper giving Ann Arbor a 21-16 lead. The two teams would exchange points for the next five minutes with Concordia-Ann Arbor enjoying the last lead of the game at 29-26 before the Bulldogs would score the final half-dozen points of the first-half giving Concordia-Nebraska a 32-29 lead at the break.

The first five-minutes after halftime saw Nebraska score 12 of the first 14 points and the Bulldogs had their first double-digit lead at 44-41 with 14:49 remaining in the game. 

A three-pointer from Nathan Hand (Fr. - Belleville, Mich.) pulled Ann Arbor within 10, but the lead would never be fewer than that for the duration of the game and the Bulldog advantage would grow as large as 18 at 64-46 before the Cardinals would outscore Nebraska 16-8 the rest of the way in the loss.

Concordia-Ann Arbor (8-15) fell to the tournament consolation game and will face the loser of the Concordia-Wisconsin and Concordia-Chicago game at approximately 3:00 p.m. EST.