Concord Takes Heartbreaking Overtime Loss to Wheeling Jesuit

ATHENS, W.Va. – Despite an emphatic dunk from senior forward Jametrius Wade near the end of regulation that forced overtime, the Concord University men's basketball team fell by three points in the extra session, 85-82, to nationally-ranked, No. 24 Wheeling Jesuit Saturday afternoon at the Carter Center in Mountain East Conference play.

Concord falls to 10-5 overall (5-4 MEC), while WJU improves to 16-1 overall (8-1 MEC). 

Down by three after a missed foul shot from Wheeling Jesuit's Eric Siefert with 22 seconds left, junior guard Aaron Miller skied for the rebound and handed it off to junior guard Michael Sanchez. Once Sanchez crossed half court, he threw the ball to Wade on the left wing. Wade penetrated down the lane and elevated from just inside the free-throw line and leaped over WJU's Pat Moseh for a forceful. Moseh, trying to take a charge, fouled Wade on the play and the Detroit, Michigan native completed the three-point play to tie the game at 77.

The Mountain Lions defended two shots on the defensive end to extend the game for an overtime period.
Concord couldn't keep the momentum going in overtime, though.  

Wheeling Jesuit scored the first six points of overtime to take an 83-77 lead, but Concord wiggled its way back into the game after Miller hit a three-pointer and junior guard Cam Shannon converted two free throws with 1:57 left in overtime.

WJU took an 85-82 edge after Haywood Highsmith nailed a layup with 1:36 remaining.

The advantage for the Cardinals remained the same after Moseh missed a pull-up jumper with 13 seconds left. After a timeout, the ball wound up in Wade's hands at the top of the key with time ticking down. Wade pulled the trigger on a three-pointer from the top of the key, but the shot was too strong and fell off the side of the iron as Concord fell 85-82 in overtime.

The game was tightly contested throughout with 18 lead changes and 11 ties. Concord's biggest advantage was seven points, 19-12, in the first half while WJU had an eight-point lead as its biggest lead.

At halftime, Concord was tied 34-34 with the Cardinals despite senior forward Terry Hopewell and senior guard Rob Reed being marred with foul trouble for much of the half.

With neither team leading by more than four points through the first 11 minutes of the second half, Wheeling Jesuit went on an 14-2 run to grab a 69-61 lead with 5:31 left in the game.

However, over the next four minutes, Concord went on a 13-4 of its own to grab a 74-73 edge with 1:52 left. Reed and Wade combined for 11 of the 13 points during the spurt.

Highsmith converted a layup with 1:01 remaining in the game as WJU snatched back a 75-74 lead. Siefert went 2-for-4 from the charity stripe down the stretch to allow the Mountain Lions to stay within reach, and allowing Wade's theatrics as time dwindled down in regulation.

Wade scored a game-high 19 points with 17 of those coming either in the second half or overtime. Wade also added a team-high eight rebounds.

Reed added 16 points while Miller finished with 15 points and Hopewell scored 10.

Concord had two different players, Shannon and Wade, finish a perfect 6-for-6 at the foul line as CU converted 19-of-22 free-throw attempts.

The Mountain Lions out rebounded the Cardinals (45-41) and also owned an edge in made three-pointers (11-7).

CU faces its second straight national-ranked opponent when West Liberty comes to down 7:30 p.m. Monday.