MEQUON, Wis. - The Rockford University men's basketball team picked up its third straight NACC win and in the process snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Falcons, with an impressive 83-73 win at Concordia University Wisconsin on Saturday afternoon. The game was truly a tale of two halves, with the Falcons dominating the first and Rockford in control during the second. The Regents led for a total of just 31 seconds in the first half, but then only trailed for a combined 67 seconds the entire second half. The Regents finished the game with five players in double-figures, led by 26 points from
Jaden Bell. Despite shooting a lower percentage from three-point range and from the floor overall, Rockford was able to offset that by taking ten more shots the CUW. This was in large part due to the Regents corralling five more offensive rebounds and forcing five more turnovers than the Falcons.
- The Falcons scored the first nine points of the game, as a part of a 12-2 run over the opening 5:01 of the first half. CUW went 4-8 from the floor and a perfect 3-3 at the free throw line, while Rockford was just 1-5 over that span.
- Fortunately, the Regents began to catch fire on the offensive end of the floor midway through the half. Rockford went on a 15-5 run, capped off by a Matthew Elliott triple, to take its first lead of the day at 22-20. The Regents shot 60% from the floor over that span, led by eight points from Anfernee James and seven points from Matthew Elliott.
- However, the Falcons promptly scored the next nine points to retake the lead at 29-22.
- Rockford would slowly chip away at the deficit over the next several minutes, until Matthew Elliott connected on a pair of three throws to momentarily give his team a 34-33 advantage with 2:35 left in the half.
- Concordia Wisconsin however drained a three on its next possession en route to taking a 40-38 lead into the break.
- Jaden Bell scored the first nine points of the second half for the Regents, including knocking down back-to-back triples and going a perfect 3-3 at the line, to give his team its largest lead thus far at 47-43.
- With Rockford still leading by three and 5:23 left in regulation, the Regents scored the next eight points to seize control of the game. Rockford went a perfect 3-3 from the floor, led by three points each from Jaden Bell and Noody Lacey.
- The Falcons were able to get back to within four with 1:12 left, but the Regents went 6-8 at the line to close things out and secure the 83-73 win.
- Jaden Bell poured in a game and career-high 26 points on 8-15 shooting. He also added 3 assists, 3 steals and 2 rebounds.
- Anfernee James finished with a season-high 15 points, 3 rebounds and 2 steals off the bench.
- Matthew Elliott tallied a season-high 12 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal off the bench.
- Noody Lacey added 10 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists.
- Mateo Fernandez Solari had 10 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds and a steal off the bench.
