| In the past 10 years, Concordia head men’s basketball coach Duane Siverson has turned into the agent of a Hollywood star who is recognized for being one of the best supporting actors in the business but never having “star” quality. He guided the 1995-96 Cobbers to the MIAC playoff championship and a spot in the NCAA playoffs and two years ago he steered Concordia to a third place finish during the regular season and a berth in the MIAC semifinals. The Cobbers have quietly gone about their business and produced conference playoff teams in three of the past five years. They have produced rave reviews from the critics who understand how hard the Cobbers are to defeat and how tough they are to beat at home.
Like the bit actor who goes from obscurity to “overnight” success, Concordia’s days of living outside the spotlight of the MIAC might soon be over. The reason for optimism on the set of the 2005-06 Cobber backlot is a cast that features a superstar in the making, solid performers throughout the lineup and a team that returns four of the five starters from last year’s playoff team.
For the first time in his tenure, Siverson’s team will feature a preseason All-American. Senior guard Keith Eckhoff (Alexandria, Minn./Jefferson HS) had a breakout season last year and was named to the D3hoops.com All-Region Team as well as the All-MIAC Team. This season he has already been placed on the D3hoops.com preseason All-American Team – the only MIAC player to earn the honor.
He has earned the nickname “The Big Easy” for his ability to put up huge numbers without anyone in the gym realizing that he has just gone off on one of his patented shooting sprees. Last year he scored at least 30 points in an unbelievable five games, including 31 in the team's conference overtime playoff game at Bethel. The silent assassin led the team in scoring with a 21.2 points per game average. That was almost 10 points higher than his previous best season high total. He finished third in the MIAC in scoring with a 20.1 points per game average in the team's 20 league games. He was second in free throw percentage (84.1%), fourth in 3-point field goal percentage (47.0%) and tied for fifth in assists (3.90 apg).
In overall games, Eckhoff finished third in the nation in 3-point percentage (47.9%) and 24th in scoring average.
Eckhoff also made a mark on the school's record book. He set a school record in 3-point field goal percentage this season. His 2004-05 season total of 552 points places him fifth on the school’s all-time list of most points scored by an individual in a single season. In his first three seasons in maroon and gold, he has totaled 866 points. He is on pace to become the 10th player in men's basketball history at Concordia to join the elite 1,000-point career club.
The real reason for excitement in the Cobber camp is that Eckhoff will not face the tough competition of the MIAC alone. He has three players around him who are returning starters and a crew of role players who have one full season of experience under their belts.
Eckhoff’s fellow captain, Jason Miller (Sr., Moorhead, Minn.), has always been a tough competitor on the inside and has had the ability to score once he received the ball on the low block. The Rhoades Scholar nominee led the conference in field goal percentage last season. He has added upper body strength in the off-season and should give Concordia a fierce frontline in 2005-06.
Joining Miller inside for the Cobbers will be sophomore Luke Linz (Watkins, Minn./Eden Valley-Watkins, Minn.). Linz was named to the MIAC All-First Year Team last season. He finished the season by averaging 8.0 points per game and was tied for second in rebounding (4.2 rpg). In the final six games of the year he averaged 9.5 points and 6.6 rebounds. Like Miller, Linz will see the benefits of his time in the weight room as he has turned his freshman untapped physique into a solid structure that will be a pounding force all season long.
Eric Meischner (So., Morris, Minn.) is the fourth returning starting player for the Cobbers. He continually improved throughout the year after assuming the team’s starting point guard position six games into the season. He was second on the team in assists, and started to show signs of being able to hit the outside shot towards the end of the season. His year’s worth of confidence will help guide the Cobber offense, and his seasoned court sense will help him find Eckhoff in critical game-changing situations.
One of the wild cards for the Cobbers in 2005-06 will be the play of senior Mark Dixon (St. Paul, Minn./Mounds View HS). Dixon started in 15 of the team’s 26 games last year and has always had the innate ability to grab rebounds and pound the glass on both ends of the court. He averaged 4.0 rebounds per game and 7.1 points last season. His intensity has proven to be one of his biggest assets as well as one of his hindrances. Last year he led the team in personal fouls and fouled out a league-high six times. Another one of the team’s most cerebral players, if Dixon can harness his enthusiasm and intensity, he has a chance to become one of the fiercest players in the league.
The Cobber roster features 10 sophomores. It is a class that will add the bulk of the bench minutes as well as being able to push the Cobber starting five in practice. Several players have shown the ability to put on Eckhoff-like shooting clinics and score points in bunches. All 10 of the Concordia second-year players will be counted on to play a key role at some point during the season.
The Cobbers open the season at 14th-ranked Wartburg and will then play at St. John’s and then travel to St. Peter to face two-time defending MIAC Gustavus. If Concordia can show their “star quality” from the opening credits, then look for the bright lights of the MIAC to turn maroon and gold in 2006.
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