Concord Beats WLU for Second Straight Win

Box Score
Concord improves to 4-4 overall and 2-3 in Mountain East Conference play. The victory was Concord's second in as many games. West Liberty falls to 5-6 overall and 2-3 in league play.

After trailing the entire first half, Concord opened up the second half on a 16-6 spurt to grab a 53-46 lead with 15:03 remaining. However, West Liberty fought back to tie the game at 64 at the 6:54 mark in the period.

The game remained a back-and-forth affair as neither team led by more than by three points over the final stages of the contest. The Hilltoppers' Kierra Simpson knotted the game at 76-76 with under a minute left that set the stage for Wagner's clutch play.

Concord coach Kenny Osborne called timeout with 31 seconds showing on the clock. On the ensuing play, Wagner took time off the clock at the top of the key before driving down the right side of the lane and making the layup while getting fouled.

After Wagner's free throw, the Hilltoppers made a layup as time expired to give Concord the one-point victory.

Wagner finished the game with 20 points to go with team-highs of five assists and two steals. The 20-point showing was Wagner's third of the season.

Junior forward Andrea Bertrand scored a game-high 21 points on 7-for-15 shooting from the field to up her season scoring average of 17.9. Bertrand, who also grabbed four rebounds, scored 15 points in the second half.

The Mountain Lions also received strong efforts from senior center Sammi Webster and junior guard Rachel Artrip.

Webster finished with 11 points and a team-high six rebounds. The Mountain Lions' lone senior, Webster entered play Saturday sitting third in the MEC in field goal percentage at 60 percent and finished Saturday by shooting 5-for-8 from the field (62.5 percent).

Meanwhile, Artrip scored 12 points while also pulling down four rebounds with fellow junior guard Melea Smith also chipping in 10 points off the bench. Smith made 2-of-3 shots from three-point range.

As a team, Concord held edges over West Liberty in points off turnovers (14-8), made free throws (19-11) and forced turnovers (13-11). Concord's 11 miscues were a season-low.

Additionally, the Mountain Lions held a distinct advantage in field goal percentage shooting a season-best 50.0 percent (28-for-56) compared to West Liberty's 39.4 (29-for-73) shooting effort.

CU shot 53.3 percent (16-of-30) in the second half. It was the second straight game that Concord shot better than 50 percent in the second half after trailing at intermission.

The Mountain Lions remain in the northern part of West Virginia for a matchup with Wheeling Jesuit Monday. Tipoff is set for 4:00 p.m. at the McDonough Center on Wheeling Jesuit's campus.