BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – The Concord University men's basketball was edged in overtime by Francis Marion 82-79 at the Bluefield State Currence Classic Saturday afternoon.
For the second straight game, sophomore guard
Aaron Miller scored at least 20 points as he finished with 21. Junior guard
Rob Reed came off the bench to score 18 points, the highest total for any CU (4-2, 1-1 MEC) bench player this season.
Over the first 11 minute of play neither team led by more than four points, but the lead changed hands only once. After FMU (5-1) tied the game with a three-point bucket with 9:08 left in the first half, the Mountain Lions ran off nine straight points as Reed nailed two three-pointers and Miller also hit a shot from behind the arc.
Concord continued to widen its lead as shots by sophomore forward
Jalen Camper and Reed as well as two made free throws by senior guard
Paul Byrd gave CU a 36-23 lead with 5:31 remaining in the first half.
Francis Marion outscored the Maroon and Gray by six over final five minutes of the half, but Concord led 41-31 at the intermission.
CU held a double-digit lead over the first five minutes of the second half before an extended run by the Patriots that cut Concord's once healthy lead to 57-55 with 8:17 remaining in the contest.
The Mountain Lions were able to stave off Francis Marion, until the Patriot converted a jumper with four seconds left in regulation, tying the game for the first since early in the first half.
In overtime, FMU drilled a three-pointer before Concord took their only lead of the extra session on two foul shots from senior guard
Mike Boyd and a jump shot from junior forward
Terry Hopewell. The Patriots regained the lead until Boyd was able to square the game at 79 with 23 seconds left. FMU drained a three-pointer with four seconds left and Camper's three-point try at the buzzer was off the mark as Concord fell 82-79.
Boyd played an all-around great game with 14 points, eight assists and six rebounds while Hopewell also recorded 14 points for CU.
The teams finished even in points in the paint with 30 each while Reed's production gave Concord the edge in bench points (24-15). CU also owned an advantage in field goal percentage (46.0-41.5) and three-point percentage (36.0-29.2).
Concord will play at Glenville State Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
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