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Eagles News
03.06.2010 - [Men's Basketball]
Photo Courtesy: Shelley Minardo
Photo Courtesy: Shelley Minardo
LA MIRADA, CA --- After hitting four treys in the first nine minutes of the game and jumping out to a 19-point lead, the NAIA's top-ranked Concordia went on to hit a season-high 17 three-pointers in an 84-51 drubbing of No. 23 Fresno Pacific in the GSAC Postseason Tournament Semifinals.
 
The Eagles win their 11th in a row and improve to 30-2, capping off a three-game season sweep of Fresno Pacific, which is eliminated from the GSAC Tournament at 24-8, but will likely be heading to the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Men's Basketball National Championships March 17-23 in Kansas City, Mo.
 
Concordia will square off against No. 15 Azusa Pacific in the GSAC Tournament Finals this Tuesday (March 9), starting at 7:30 p.m. at Biola's Chase Gymnasium.
 
In tonight's earlier semifinal, Azusa Pacifc downed arch-nemesis No. 5 Biola by a 76-75 score in overtime to advance to the final.
 
Three-time All-GSAC honoree Terrence Worthy netted a game-high 21 points and went 6-for-7 from beyond the arc, as did sophomore forward Cameron Gliddon, who ended with 18 points in the win.
 
Gliddon hit his first three triple attempts early in the game, as the regular-season GSAC champion Eagles led, 11-4, just 3:30 into the game.
 
By halftime, Concordia had built up a 44-23 advantage, shooting 58 percent (14-for-24) from the field, including an eye-popping 62 percent (8-for-13) from three-point range.
 
Overall, the Eagles shot 63 percent (17-for-27) from downtown.
 
The Eagles benefited from 22 Sunbird turnovers and gave the ball away 12 times in comparison, and they also went 13-for-16 (81 percent) from the charity stripe.
 
Concordia scored 30 points off turnovers, while Fresno Pacific netted nine points in the same category.
 
Sophomore guard Karlos Grier scored 10 points in 15 minutes off the bench, while sophomore guard Austin Simon notched nine points in a reserve role.
 
GSAC Player of the Year Justin Johnson was limited to just four points in 19 minutes.
 
On the regular season, Concordia and Azusa Pacific split the two-game series, with each team's win coming on the opponent's home court. Last year, the Cougars posted a lop-sided 67-46 tally to eliminate the Eagles in the GSAC Tournament Semifinals at APU's Felix Event Center.