|
Cardinal Roster
|
Cardinal Statistics
|
|
Cardinal Schedule
|
MIAC Standings
|
|
MIAC Statistics
|
|
 |
 |
| 2006-2007 Final Records: 7-13 MIAC / 8-16 Overall |
| Last Week's Results: Bethel 103, Saint Mary's 57 / Details Concordia 70, Saint Mary's 61 / Details |
| Cardinal News and Notes: The Cardinals fell one win short of equalling last year's nine-win performance, It would have matched the most wins since SMU went 11-13 during the 1999-2000 season. … Saturday's loss was also the Cardinals' second straight and fifth in their last six games. … Brensley Haywood (Joliet, Ill.) made his 51st straight start vs. Ccncordia Saturday in his final game as a Cardinal. Saturday's finale also marked the end of the collegiate careers of SMU’s John Gencius (Chicago, Ill.), Michael Batterman (Fond du Lac, Wis.) and Jack Nelson (Springfield, Ill.). … The Cobbers held Haywood to nine points Saturday, snapping a streak of 11 straight games in which the SMU senior had scored in double figures. … Haywood, who led the team in scoring, averaging 13.8 ppg, netted 10 or more points in 19 of the Cardinals' 24 games. … Nick Carr (Minneapolis, Minn.) scored a career-high 13 points vs. the Cobbers Saturday. … SMU’s loss to Bethel last Wednesday marked the first time since a 100-84 loss to Puget Sound on Nov. 17, 2001, that the Cardinals allowed 100 points in a game. It was also the most points scored against SMU since Concordia and Macalester poured in 103 and 105 points, respectively, in a three-day span in 1995. Concordia beat the Cardinals 103-58 on Jan. 16, 1995, and Macalester followed that up with a 105-99 decision on Jan. 18. … The Cardinals surrendered a season-high 14 3-point field goals vs. Bethel, and the Royals’ 54 first-half points and 46-point margin of victory were also season highs. … After managing just one win in 12 road games a year ago, SMU closed out its season with a 4-8 records both at home and on the road. |
up Cardinals' season: Close, but not close enough
  |
|
Brensley
Haywood Closed out career with 51 straight starts |
Over the game's final 30 minutes, however, the Cardinals looked more like a team that was determined not to end its season with a second straight loss.
Unfortunately for the Cardinals, the hole they dug themselves while sleepwalking through the game's opening 10 minutes was too deep to dig out of, as Concordia held SMU at bay down the stretch en route to a 70-61 victory at the SMU Gym.
"We just never could get over the hump," said SMU coach Mike Trewick, whose Cardinals — who had their playoff dreams shattered with Wednesday's disappointing 103-57 loss at Bethel — closed out its season 7-13 in the MIAC and 8-16 overall. "This game pretty much summed up our entire season — close, but not close enough. We battled back from that early first-half deficit, but we couldn't quite catch (Concordia.) — just like we put ourselves in position to earn a playoff spot, but couldn't seal the deal down the stretch."
After going nearly four minutes without their first basket, and falling behind by as many as 13 in the game's opening 10 minutes, the Cardinals began climbing back, closing the gap to five, 31-26, on a Nick Carr (Minneapolis, Minn.) 3-pointer with 3:27 remaining.
Just when the Cardinals thought they were out, the Cobbers pushed them back in their hole, scoring six of the final nine points of the half to take a 37-29 lead into the locker room.
And it was more of the same in the second half, as Concordia built its lead to 11 on three occasions in the first five minutes, only to have SMU cut the gap to three, 46-43 with 13:39 remaining in regulation.
The Cardinals continued to keep the Cobbers in their sights, pulling to within two, 54-52 on a Josh Knights' (Plainfield, Wis.) basket, but that was as close as SMU would get, as the Cobbers used a game-ending 16-9 run — which included six Cardinal missed field goals — to ice the win.
"It's always tough to have the season come to end like this, it kind of leaves a bad taste in your mouth," said Trewick, who got a team-high 16 points from Dan Cormier (Blaine, Minn.), while Carr chipped in a career-best 13. "But, hopefully, the guys will realize just how close we were this season and work hard in the off-season and come back next year ready to take that next step."