Concord Runs Past West Virginia State, 111-88

ATHENS, W.Va- The Concord University men's basketball team used an up-tempo offense to defeat the visiting West Virginia State Yellow Jackets on Monday evening at the Carter Center.

Concord improves to 13-5 overall (8-4 MEC) while West Virginia State falls to 5-12 overall (3-9 MEC). 

Concord and the Yellow Jackets traded baskets early on as Concord clung on to a one-point lead at 20-19 with 11:27 in the first half. 

CU ran off on a 34-15 run to close out the half and garner a 20-point lead at the break. The Mountain Lions bench helped spark the run, with senior forward Taylor Smith, junior guard Cam Shannon and sophomroe forward Babe Murphy started the outburst by scoring six of the first eight points. Junior guard Aaron Miller also contributed nine points of his own during that stretch.  Miller ended 17 points in the first half.  Senior guard Rob Reed also had 13 points at half including an efficient 5-for-7 from the field. The Mountain Lions also shot a blazing 58.3 percent from three-point range, going 7-for-12 in the first 20 minutes, with Reed and Miller combining to go 6-for-9 from deep. 

Concord also held the Yellow Jackets to just 27 percent shooting in the first half. 

West Virginia State began the second half fast, outscoring the Mountain Lions 13-6 to trim CU's lead to 11 with 16:29 left in the second half. The two teams traded baskets for much of the second half, as the Yellow Jackets cut the deficit to 11 two more times, with the last coming with 11:34 left in the game. 

With 11 minutes left in the game, WVSU would draw to within 72-61, but it was the closest the would get. Senior guard Rob Reed elevated his scoring in the second half, including a stretch where he scored six straight points for the Mountain Lions to give CU a 16-point lead with 8:15 remaining. Concord closed the game with an incisive 27-16 run to end any hope of WVSU of mounting a comeback. 

Reed led all scorers with 28 points overall, marking the 11^th time he has scored over 20 points this season, second in the Mountain East Conference to West Liberty's Seger Bonifant who has 15 such games on the year.  Aaron Miller chipped in 20 points, his sixth 20-point game of the year. 

Concord had six players in double figures, and scored over 110 points in a victory for the first time since they defeated Glenville State 116-93 on Feb. 15, 2007. Junior guard Michael Sanchez was two assists shy of a double-double, adding ten points and eight assists. 

Murphy posted his first career double-double and tied a career-high in points scored with 10 points while adding 10 rebounds. Murphy also played a season-high 21 minutes.

Concord's transition game was outstanding, as they outscored West Virginia State 30-7. CU also outscored the Yellow Jackets 64-33 in the paint. 

Concord will next host nationally-ranked Fairmont State at the Carter Center on Thursday night. Tip is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.