Slow Start Costs Cobbers In Holiday Classic Title Game

GREENSBORO, N.C. (12/30/25)—Concordia finished off the 2025 portion of its schedule by dropping an 85-60 decision to host Guilford in the championship game of the Holiday Classic.

The Cobbers never led in the game that ended their 3-game win streak. Concordia started slowly in its second game in Greensboro as the Quakers scored the first 10 points in the game and bolted to a 22-7 lead midway through the first half which forced CC to chase the game for the final 30 minutes of the contest.

Concordia was able to cut the deficit to seven points in the final minute of the opening period but a 3-pointer by Greensboro with :03-seconds left on the clock gave the Quakers a 10-point lead at the break.

Guilford (6-4) scored six of the first nine points in the second half and then used a 23-3 streak midway through the final period to put the game away.

Senior Jacob Cook led the Cobbers throughout the game and is now within shouting distance of 1,000 career points.

Cook finished with a game-high 20 points on a 7-for-9 shooting afternoon and needs only five more points to become the 16th player in program history to reach the 1K milestone in career points.

Cook now has 995 career points for the maroon and gold.

Cook also grabbed 10 rebounds to record his third double-double of the season. 

His 2-day total of 36 points, 19 rebounds and seven assists helped Cook earn All-Tournament honors.

Concordia (8-3) finished the game by shooting 41.7% (20-for-48) from the field and 21.1% (4-for-19) from 3-point range, while the Quakers put up almost twice as many field goal attempts and finished by connecting on 40.2% (33-for-82) of their shots from the floor and 29.3% (12-for-41) of their chances from distance.

One of the biggest differences in the game came on the offensive glass where Guilford held a 22-7 advantage in offensive rebounds which led to a 16-6 margin in second-chance points.

Besides the 20-point performance from Cook, the Cobbers also got double-digit point totals from Peyton Belka and Payton Schell. Belka scored 12 points and Schell added 11. Belka has now scored at least 10 points in eight straight games – the longest stretch of his Concordia career.

Jackson Loge, the MIAC's leading rebounder, added to his season board total by hauling in a game-high 12 rebounds. It is his third straight double-digit rebound game and the sixth of the season.        

Concordia will fly home and then open play in 2026 by hosting St. Scholastica on Saturday, Jan. 3 at 3:30 p.m.      

Guilford Holiday Classic All-Tournament Team
Guilford- Kody Clayton (MVP)
Concordia- Moorhead- Jacob Cook
Coast Guard- Christian Rodgers
Skidmore- Aidan Roy
Guilford- Braylen Salter