MEN'S BASKETBALL: IF IT'S NOT ONE THING, IT'S ANOTHER

MOUNTAIN LIONS BOW TO WEST LIBERTY BARRAGE

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It's one thing to play the number-one team in the nation.

It's another thing to play the number-one team in the nation on its home floor.

It's yet another thing to play the number-one team in the nation, on its home floor, when it's on a roll.

All those things conspired against the Concord Men's Basketball team Saturday afternoon.

The Mountain Lions visited West Liberty, the top-ranked team in the latest NABC NCAA Division II poll, and left on the wrong end of a 133-82 score in front of a near-capacity crowd at the Academic, Sports and Recreation Center.

The Hilltoppers went into Saturday's game leading the nation in scoring (120.0 ppg) and three-point percentage (.436). They showed #1 form against the Mountain Lions, opening a 24-9 lead six minutes after tipoff.
Concord would pull within 29-20, only to see WLU go on a 25-9 run to open up a 54-29 lead with 8:03 to go before halftime.
The Hilltoppers broke the 80-point mark with :31 left and took an 84-45 lead into halftime.

West Liberty shot an eye-popping 31-51 from the field in the 1st half (.608), and an even more impressive 17-28 from three point range (.607).

Holding a 101-59 lead with 14:35 left in the 2nd half, the Hilltoppers pulled their starters.

WLU (18-0, 14-0) would have seven players score in double figures, lead by Jordan Fortney's 24 points. Fortney was 6-10 from three-point range. Corey Pelle chipped in a double-double of 15 points and 11 assists.


Concord's Javaughn Acree-Manuel, the WVIAC's leading scorer, dropped in 21 points to share CU scoring honors with Corey Neeley. Neeley also added five rebounds and four assists. Rick Alderman just missed a double-double, with 17 points and nine rebounds.



BOXSCORE/PLAY-BY-PLAY


Up next for Concord (8-8, 5-7) is a visit to nearby Wheeling Jesuit – the nation's 9th-leading scoring team -- for a WVIAC contest on Monday, January 31. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 pm. The game will be broadcast on ESPN Radio 102.3 The Ticket as part of a doubleheader with the women's game, which begins at 4:00.
A link to The Ticket's audio webcast can be found on the Men's Basketball homepage at www.cumountainlions.com

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