Hornets take long win streaks into tournament

Published 7:56 pm Monday, February 23, 2015

The United States Collegiate Athletic Association announced the tournament bids Monday for its men and women’s national championship tournaments.

Last year, both the Concordia men and women’s basketball teams were the final schools into the United States Collegiate Athletic Association tournament. This year neither team is likely to sneak up on anyone.

The women, who rode their eight seed all the way to the national championship last year, are on a 23-game winning streak and is the No. 1 overall seed in the women’s bracket. The men are riding a 16-game win streak and are the No. 4 overall seed.

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“The biggest thing is about understanding what we did in the regular season is null in void,” Concordia women’s coach Eric Jackson said. “This is a whole new season. You can be 23-3 and lose your next game and your season is over.”

The men and women’s teams gathered together in the school’s Kreft Center and cheered loudly when it was announced the Lady Hornets would get the top seed.

“We applaud ourselves for the accolades we have accomplished,” Jackson said. “But our goal was not to go 23-3. Our goal wasn’t to win a couple of games in a row. Our goal was to win a national championship.”

Jackson said it’s been national championship or bust for his team all season.

The women will start their championship against Indiana South Bend or St. Joseph’s College.

If South Bend wins Wednesday it will qualify for a NAIA bid, giving the final spot in the bracket to St. Joseph’s College.

The Hornets’ first game will be March 4 at 10 a.m.

The men (21-7) will play Florida National in the first round at 4 p.m. March 4.

After a rough start to the year, the men have been on fire lately.

Due to their recent play, coach Fredrick Summers was hoping Concordia could snag the top seed or at least one of the top three.

“I would have thought we would have been a little higher, but it takes three games to win a championship,” Summers said.

The Hornets lost in the first round last season, but Summers is feeling confident about his group going into this season’s championship.

“I feel real good about our chances,” Summers said. “We are on a 16-game winning streak and you have to win three games to win a national title. We are going in preparing to do just that.”

The tournament is being played at Penn State University Fayette in Uniontown, Pa. and runs from March 4-7.