PLNU Athletics

IRVINE, Calif. - The Point Loma men's basketball team fell on the road at first-place Concordia (CA), 101-92, on Saturday, Dec. 12.
 
PLNU is now 5-4 on the season and 1-2 in the PacWest. Concordia sits atop the PacWest standings at 3-0 (8-1 overall). The Eagles are one of only three teams in the PacWest without a loss in league play.
 
JT Roach came off the bench to score a game-high 27 points for Concordia. He was 6-of-8 from 3-point range and 7-of-8 at the free throw line. Matt Scott also added 23 points.
 
Josh Rodriguez had career-highs with 24 points and 10 assists in the loss for Point Loma. This was the first career double-double for the freshman Rodriguez. He was 9-of-16 from the field and 3-of-7 from 3-point range. Mike Planeta also recorded his career-high in scoring as he poured in 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting. He led PLNU with four 3-point baskets. Judd Welfringer added 14 points, and Tanner Lancona just missed a double-double with 10 points and team-high nine rebounds.
 
Concordia put Point Loma on its heels in the first half with tenacious defense and strong outside shooting to lead 53-41 at the half. The Eagles were 7-of-9 from behind the arc and outscored PLNU 13-2 in points off turnovers and 7-2 in second chance points in the first 20 minutes.
 
"They pressured us and we did not do well handling it in the first half," said Point Loma head coach Bill Carr. "They made it helter-skelter and we had unforced turnovers from guys that usually take care of the ball."
 
The Sea Lions made the necessary halftime adjustments, and after an initial run by the Eagles, which pushed their lead to 21 points (73-52) with 13:19 remaining, PLNU began to rapidly chip away at the lead. Point Loma cut the lead to less than 10 points with 7:25 remaining, and had it all the way down to five points at the 7:04 mark thanks to a 20-4 run in a six-minute span.
 
A Sam Okhotin layup with 3:27 remaining got the deficit all the way down to two points (86-84) for PLNU, but Stephen Grosey hit baskets on back-to-back possessions for CUI, while the Sea Lions turned the ball over on its two possessions to allow the Eagles to extend their lead.
 
Judd Welfringer did answer with a huge 3-pointer with 2:03 left to cut the lead back to three (90-87), but as he had done all night, Roach knocked down another shot from behind the arc to put CUI back up six. On the play, PLNU picked up a technical foul, giving Roach two free throws and the ball with 1:33 remaining, in what proved to be the final nail in the coffin of a valiant comeback effort from the Sea Lions.
 
"We did a good job fighting back, but in this conference if you dig yourself a big hole early it is hard to come back from," explained Carr.
 
In the game, Concordia's defense forced PLNU into 21 turnovers, which the Eagles turned into 23 points. On the other side, CUI turned the ball over just 11 times and had 16 steals. Point Loma shot a season-best 59-percent in the game and outrebounded CUI 34-27. This was just the second time this season the Sea Lions have won the battle of the boards.
 
The 101 points allowed by PLNU are the most ever under coach Carr. Azusa Pacific was the last team to score 100 on PLNU, and that was in a double overtime game in 2010-11 (108-104).  The last time PLNU allowed 100 or more points in a regulation game was in 2007-08 against Concordia (CA).
 
Next week Point Loma will travel to California Baptist to face the No. 10 ranked Lancers on Saturday, Dec. 19 at 7:00 p.m.
 
"We have to have a really good week of practice and be ready to go on Saturday," the Sea Lions' fifth year head coach added.