MOORHEAD, Minn. – Unable to match the shooting prowess of host Concordia College-Moorhead, the Carleton College men's basketball team dropped a high-scoring MIAC road game by a 93-83 tally.
 
A collision of the top two scoring defenses in the MIAC did not promise many fireworks on paper, but the two teams scored in bunches in the Saturday matinee. Carleton (7-5, 4-3 MIAC) finished shooting 45.6 percent from the floor and 32.3 percent (10-of-31) from 3-point range, and the Knights hit 21 of their 27 free throws (77.8 percent). Concordia (8-4, 4-3 MIAC) was uber-efficient, shooting 58.6 percent from the floor, 40.0 percent (10-of-25) beyond the arc, and 75.0 percent from the line (15-of-20). The Cobbers won the battle on the glass, 32-26.
 
Point guard Luke Harris led Carleton in scoring and rebounds, with 25 points and six boards. This was his eighth 20-plus point game this season and the 17th of his career. Alex Gibbens followed him up with 18 points, including a team-high three 3-pointers. Sam Koelling was the other Knight in double figures, scoring 11 while going perfect from the floor (3-of-3 overall, 2-of-2 on 3FG) and the free-throw line (3-of-3).
 
The game started nicely for the visitors, as Gibbens finished a tough reverse layup for the first points, then Spencer Goetz snagged a backcourt steal, and Koelling hit a three before the Cobbers could get back. Carleton led 13-6 with 15:03 remaining, but Concordia quickly embarked on a 14-2 run to grab the lead. The two teams exchanged baskets until Carleton got a pass picked off by guard Jackson Jangula, who passed forward to Jacob Cook to give Concordia a lead they would protect for the rest of the contest. Transfer Jackson Loge gave the Knights trouble on the interior during the first half, scoring 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting to help the home team to a 51-44 lead after the opening 20 minutes.
 
Concordia started the second frame on a 10-2 run, leading 61-46 with 16:44 to go. The Cobbers kept Carleton at arm's length for most of the remaining half. The Knights cut the lead to 82-79 after a Matt Banovetz free throw at the 5:34 mark, but they were unable to take advantage of missed 3-pointers on three straight Cobber possessions. The Cobbers pulled away, as Carleton did not score from the field for the final 7:28 in dropping the opener of a three-game road trip.
 
The 6-foot-9-inch Loge finished with a game-high 27 points on 11-of-14 shooting. The Cobbers had three others with double figures: Rowan Nelson and Matt Johnson scored 15 points apiece, and Cook notched 10 points of his own.
 
Results elsewhere around the conference move Carleton and Concordia into a four-wy tie with Bethel and Hamline for third place in the MIAC standings.
 
Other Notes:
• Harris now leads the MIAC in scoring at 21.6 points per game. He has 994 career points, putting him on the cusp of becoming the 31st member of Carleton's 1,000-point club.
• Concordia's team field-goal percentage (.586) was the second-highest against Carleton over the last four-plus seasons, bettered only by Saint John's connecting at a .611 clip in an 80-51 win on Dec. 14, 2021.
 
Up Next for the Knights:
Carleton continues its road swing at Macalester College on Wednesday, Jan. 10. Tip-off in St. Paul is set for 7:00 p.m.