By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
WINONA, Minn. — For the fifth straight game, the Saint Mary's University of Minnesota took to its home court Wednesday evening for a key Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference showdown against Concordia.
 
And home proved to be extra-sweet for the Cardinals, who got 19-point performances from both Eli Cave (St. Paul, Minn.) and David Lindstrand (Lakeville, Minn.) en route to a streak-snapping 71-64 win over the Cobbers.
 
"That was a big win for the guys — it took the monkey off their back," said Saint Mary's coach Joe Fano, whose Cardinals put an end to a 27-game conference losing streak with the seven-point win. "It's been a long time since we came off the court with a conference win and I told the guys to be proud of what they accomplished and enjoy tonight.
 
"Because tomorrow, we have to get back to work and get ready for Saturday."
 
Saint Mary's trailed the Cobbers 34-29 at the break, but quickly turned that five-point deficit into a three-point lead, scoring the first eight points of the second half.
 
Concordia answered with a 7-0 run of its own to grab a 41-37 lead with 16:30 remaining in regulation. That, however, would be the last time the Cobbers would lead, as Saint Mary's scored 16 of the next 18 points to make it a 10-point, 53-43 Cardinal lead with just over 11 minutes to play.
 
Saint Mary's padded its lead to 14, 59-45 on a field goal by Lindstrand, but the Cobbers weren't about to go quietly, delivering a 10-0 punch that quickly turned what appeared to be a Cardinal rout into a four-point, 59-54 nailbiter.
 
Unfazed, the Cardinals threw a haymaker of their own, dropping back-to-back 3-pointers from Caden Freetly (Farmington, Minn.) and Sawyer Rosner (Phelps, Wis.), and it was back to a 10-point Cardinal lead, 65-55 — and Saint Mary's was well on its way to conference win No. 1.
 
"Every game this season has been close — win or lose — and the guys are starting to understand what it takes to win those tight games," Fano said. "We had some stretches where we didn't play as well as we are capable, but the guys came through with big shots when we needed them."
 
Lindstrand's 19-point effort — a career-high for the Cardinal junior — included a 3-for-4 effort from behind the 3-point line, while Cave added 11 rebounds to his 19 points for his team-leading third double-double of the season. Rosner also finished in double figures for the Cardinals, chipping in 12 points.
 
Saint Mary's shot 42 percent from the field (26-for-62) and drilled 11 3-pointers, while going 8 of 15 from the free throw line. Concordia, meanwhile, made 24 of 66 field goals (36 percent), but the Cobbers were just 5 of 27 from behind the arc.
 
Jordan Davis led four Cobbers in double figures, scoring 18 points, with Thomas Schyma chipping in a double-double of 14 points and 15 boards.
 
After five straight home games, the Cardinals (1-2 MIAC, 4-3 overall) hit the road on Saturday, heading to Gustavus' Gus Young Court for a 3 p.m. MIAC showdown against the Gusties.