2002-2003 Concordia Moorhead Men's Basketball

2002-2003 Concordia Men's Basketball Preview Information
Concordia Men's Basketball Home Page for 2002-03 | see also | 2001-02 Season Stats | 2001-02 Box Scores |

College Information
School: Concordia-Moorhead
Founded : 1891
Location: Moorhead, MN
Enrollment : 2775
President : Rev. Thomas Thomsen
Athletic Director: Dr. Armin Pipho
Team Nickname: Cobbers
Colors: Maroon and Gold
Logo: The Chicago "C"
Faculty Athletic Rep: Jim Forde
Arena: Memorial Auditorium, Capacity 3,150

Concordia Men's Baketball
First year of basketball: 1922-23
All-time NCAA play-off record: 2-3
Years in NCAA post-season play: 3
Last NCAA post-season appearance: 1995-96 / Result: Loss to Gustavus 72-61
All-time record: 789-1010

Men's Basketball Staff
Head Coach: Duane Siverson
Alma Mater/Year: Yankton College '78
Record at school (years): 121-150, 12th Season
Career record: 286-188 (Includes 165-38 record as Lady Cobber coach '84-91)
Head Coach's office phone: 218-299-4160
Best time/day to reach coach: 10:00 - 2:00

Assistant Coaches:
Fred Fridley, North Dakota State '97
John Whartnaby, Temple University

Sports Information
Sports Information Director: Jim Cella
Office Ph: 218-299-3194
Home Ph: 218-233-3698
Fax: 218-299-4189
E-Mail Address: cella@cord.edu
WWW Address: http://www.cord.edu/dept/sports/

2001-02 Concordia Men's Basketball Schedule

Date Opponent/Box Score Site Time/Result

Nov. 17 MSU-Moorhead Home L 54-70

Nov. 21 Black Hills State Away L 59-75

Nov. 24 Mayville St. Home W 80-69

Dec. 1 Hamline Away W 87-84 OT

Dec. 5 Augsburg Home W 79-72

Dec. 8 St. Olaf Away W 68-66

Dec. 9 St. Mary's Away L 58-59

Dec. 12 Gustavus Home L 63-71

Dec. 15 UW-Superior Away L 71-72

Jan. 2 Briar Cliff (IA) Home L 72-84

Jan. 5 Carleton Away L 52-58

Jan. 7 St. Thomas Away L 53-78

Jan. 9 Macalester Home L 45-54

Jan. 12 St. Mary's Home W 69-49

Jan. 14 St. John's Away L 54-56

Jan. 16 Bethel Home L 65-75

Jan. 19 Hamline Home W 81-58

Jan. 23 Augsburg Away L 68-87

Jan. 26 St. Olaf Home W 78-73

Jan. 30 Carleton Home W 62-60

Feb. 2 Gustavus Away L 53-90

Feb. 6 St. Thomas Home L 60-68

Feb. 9 Macalester Away L 70-72 OT

Feb. 13 St. John's Home L 67-69

Feb. 16 Bethel Away L 66-86

Final Record: 7-13-0 MIAC (7th Place) , 8-17-0 Overall

2002-03 Concordia Men's Basketball Schedule

Date Opponent/Box Score Site Time/Result

Nov. 22-23 Capital Tournament Ohio TBA

Nov. 27 Briar Cliff (IA) Away 7:30

Nov. 30 St. Olaf Away 3:00

Dec. 2 MSU-Moorhead Away 7:30

Dec. 7 Gustavus Away 3:00

Dec. 9 St. John's Home 7:30

Dec. 11 Macalester Away 7:30

Dec. 14 Carleton Home 3:00

Jan. 4 Bethel Home 3:00

Jan. 6 St. Thomas Away 7:30

Jan. 15 Hamline Home 7:30

Jan. 18 Augsburg Home 3:00

Jan. 20 St. Mary's Home 7:30

Jan. 22 St. Olaf Home 7:30

Jan. 25 Gustavus Home 3:00

Jan. 29 St. John's Away 7:30

Feb. 1 Macalester Home 3:00

Feb. 3 Bethel Away 7:30

Feb. 5 St. Thomas Home 7:30

Feb. 8 Carleton Away 3:00

Feb. 9 St. Mary's Away 3:00

Feb. 15 Hamline Away 3:00

Feb. 19 Augsburg Away 7:30

Feb. 24 - Mar. 1 MIAC Playoffs TBA TBA

Concordia Series Records Against MIAC Opponents:
Opponent      W L   Series Started
Augsburg      55 69 1924
Bethel        17 29 1977
Carleton      19 22 1933
Gustavus      52 81 1922
Hamline       44 73 1922
Macalester    76 58 1922
St. John’s    57 82 1922
St. Mary’s    59 51 1929
St. Olaf      47 46 1922
St. Thomas    42 92 1922

Player & Team Information
Overall record last year: 8-17-0
Conference record/finish: 7-13-0, 7th

Letterwinners returning/lost:
Starters Returning/lost: 2/3

Key Returning Players
Name            Pos Yr Ht   Wt Hometown/High School
Jared Swanson   G/F Sr. 6-6 205 Morris MN Morris Area
Kevin Gilchrest G   Sr. 6-0 165 Seattle WA Chief Stealth
Chris Thomas    F   Jr. 6-3 175 Sioux Falls SD/Washington
John Breneman   C   Sr. 6-7 270 Roseville MN Minnehaha Academy

Key Losses (grad/transfer/injury/misc.)
Graduated players with experience
Name           Pos Ht   Wt Hometown
Robb Flint      G 5-10 160 Dilworth MN
Started all but 2 games, 8.1 PPG, led team in assists (125) and steals (44)
Mike Syverson   F 6-3 170 Twin Valley MN
3-year starter, 6.8 PPG
Jeff Ubben      C 6-8 200 Moorhead MN
3-year starter, 8.7 PPG, 4.5 RPG

Key Newcomers
Name           Pos Yr Ht   Wt Hometown/High School
Joe Bueckers    G   Jr. 5-8 145 Pine River MN/Pine River-Backus
Sean Keating    F   So. 6-6 205 Fargo, ND/Oak Grove

Season Outlook and Notes:
Head Coach Duane Siverson enters his 12th season at the helm of the Concordia men's basketball program like the bride in search of all the items from the old cliche "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue." Siverson has the old, the new and the borrowed - and hopefully - won't find anything blue about the 2002-03 basketball season.

The Cobbers are coming off a season that saw them lose their last five conference games, yet barely miss out on the league playoffs. Concordia was constantly in a state of change and instability last season, and Siverson is hoping that a year of seasoning with his current veteran players will help them get to the altar in the final stages of the 2002-03 season.

The old for Concordia will be the eight players who return from a year ago. This octet of players will form the core for this year's team. Included in that group is a pair of players who were transfers in 2001-02 but seasoned veterans in 2002-03. John Breneman transferred from NDSU at the start of last season and struggled to find a consistent inside scoring touch. His 6'7" frame will give the Cobbers a force on the glass and in the lane. Jared Swanson made the switch form Division II UND to Concordia midway through the season and his outside shooting ability immediately made an impact. While he tapered off down the stretch, he will benefit from a year of experience both on and off the court at Concordia.

Other returning players who will have an impact are Chris Thomas, Soren Nelson, Kevin Gilchrest and Nate Ohme. Thomas and Nelson are two interior players who have proven they can score in the rugged MIAC. Thomas uses his quickness and tremendous leaping ability to break down bigger opposing players and uses his size to battle against the smaller wing players in the league. Nelson, a sophomore from Twin Valley, Minn., gained experience as the year went on and was a solid contributing member late in the season for Concordia. Gilchrest and Ohme gave Siverson two solid options in the backcourt. Gilchrest averaged 7.3 points per game last season, and his quickness helped open the court for the Cobber offense. While Ohme wasn't as potent as Gilchrest in scoring, he did give the Cobbers a steadying presence on the point when teams would start to press the Concordia offense.

The new for Concordia will be the six new players listed on the Cobber roster. While Siverson is not counting on any of the first year players for major contributions early in the season, he feels that several could make their presence felt later in the year. Mark Dixon will be able to use the experience he gained from playing at high school power Mounds View to adjust more quickly to the fast pace of the college game.

One of the most important aspects for Concordia in 2002-03 will come in the form of the "borrowed". The Cobbers have two new transfers on the roster this season and both should have an immediate impact. The most notable will be junior point guard Joe Bueckers who transferred from the North Dakota StateCollege of Science junior college in Wahpeton, N.Dak. Last year Bueckers helped lead the Wildcats to a 29-1 record in 2001-02 and the Region 13 championship. Bueckers' quickness and ability to find the open man on offense will give Concordia a dimension to their offense that they haven't had in years. The other transfer player is Sean Keating who returns home after a one-year stint at the University of St. Thomas. Keating, a Fargo native, spent his first year in purple and silver where he saw limited action with the conference champion Tommies. Keating's size (6'6", 205) will give the Cobbers a strong, and deep, group of inside players who will help as the season slows to a crawl in the long days of January and February.

Should Siverson find a way to avoid the "blues" that can accompany a team that spends most of the winter weeks traveling throughout the MIAC, then he could find himself, and the Cobbers, on an extended honeymoon come March.

Cobber Basketball Notes:

The Cobbers lost their 1000th all-time game in 2001-02; their all-time record is now 789-1010.
This is Head Coach Duane Siverson's 12th season coaching the Cobber Men. He is the fourth-longest-tenured head coach of all-time and has the third most wins of any coach (121). Sonny Gulsvig leads both categories with 237 wins in 23 seasons.

2002-2003 Preseason Roster:
See current roster on 2002-2003 roster page |

No Name            Pos Gr Ht   Wt H'town St HS
04 Joe Bueckers    G   Jr. 5-8 145 Pine River MN Pine River-Backus
05 Jared Swanson   G/F Sr. 6-6 205 Morris MN Morris Area
10 Luke Karlgaard G   Sr. 6-1 170 Brainerd MN Brainerd
12 David Whartnaby G   Fr. 5-10 160 Fargo ND Westtown
14 Nathan Ohme     G   Jr. 6-2 195 Bloomington MN Jefferson
20 Kevin Gilchrest G   Sr. 6-0 165 Seattle WA Chief Stealth
22 Nate Meissner   G   Fr. 6-1 170 Brandon MN Brandon
24 Keith Eckhoff   G   Fr. 6-2 185 Alexandria MN Jefferson
30 Josh Downey     G   Jr. 6-1 195 Bigfork MT Bigfork
32 DeShawn Curtis G/F Sr. 6-5 190 Hephzibah GA Pike County
34 Mark Dixon      G   Fr. 6-0 170 Shoreview MN Mounds View
40 Sean Keating    F   So. 6-6 205 Fargo ND Oak Grove
42 Soren Nelson    F   So. 6-6 200 Twin Valley MN Norman County East
44 Chris Thomas    F   Sr. 6-3 180 Sioux Falls SD Washington
52 John Breneman   C   Sr. 6-7 270 Roseville MN Minnehaha Academy

This page is maintained by the Concordia Sports Information Office | sid@cord.edu |

Date	Opponent/Box Score	Site	Time/Result
Nov. 17	MSU-Moorhead	Home	L 54-70
Nov. 21	Black Hills State	Away	L 59-75
Nov. 24	Mayville St.	Home	W 80-69
Dec. 1	Hamline	Away	W 87-84 OT
Dec. 5	Augsburg	Home	W 79-72
Dec. 8	St. Olaf	Away	W 68-66
Dec. 9	St. Mary's	Away	L 58-59
Dec. 12	Gustavus	Home	L 63-71
Dec. 15	UW-Superior	Away	L 71-72
Jan. 2	Briar Cliff (IA)	Home	L 72-84
Jan. 5	Carleton	Away	L 52-58
Jan. 7	St. Thomas	Away	L 53-78
Jan. 9	Macalester	Home	L 45-54
Jan. 12	St. Mary's	Home	W 69-49
Jan. 14	St. John's	Away	L 54-56
Jan. 16	Bethel	Home	L 65-75
Jan. 19	Hamline	Home	W 81-58
Jan. 23	Augsburg	Away	L 68-87
Jan. 26	St. Olaf	Home	W 78-73
Jan. 30	Carleton	Home	W 62-60
Feb. 2	Gustavus	Away	L 53-90
Feb. 6	St. Thomas	Home	L 60-68
Feb. 9	Macalester	Away	L 70-72 OT
Feb. 13	St. John's	Home	L 67-69
Feb. 16	Bethel	Away	L 66-86