URBANA, Ohio – The Concord University men's basketball team erased a double-digit first half deficit and a seven-point halftime deficit as it rallied past Urbana, 98-91, Thursday night in Mountain East Conference play at the Grimes Center.
The Mountain Lions improve to 9-16 overall and 5-14 in the conference while UU drops to 10-15 overall and 5-14 in the MEC.
Facing a 34-24 hole with 7:33 remaining in the first half, Concord went on a 15-4 run to take a 39-38 lead at the 3:34 mark after sophomore guard
Tommy Bolte knocked in two of his career-high 23 points, but CU saw Urbana finish the half on an 11-3 run to take a 49-42 advantage into halftime.
Concord raced out in the second half, going on a 12-3 scoring spurt to grab a 54-52 lead on a Bolte three-pointer at the 17:27 mark.
The contest remained tight with neither team leading by more than two possessions until a three-pointer from junior forward
Babe Murphy helped break the game open for the Maroon and Gray. The triple sparked a 17-8 run that ended with senior guard
Michael Sanchez drilling his one of his five three-pointers in the game, giving Concord an 83-71 lead with 7:31 left in the contest.
Urbana clawed back to within five points two different times in the final 2:23 of the game, but CU forced two key turnovers and went 3-for-4 at the charity stripe in the final 1:09 to secure the come-from-behind win by seven points.
After the Blue Knights 53.1 percent (17-for-32) in the first half, CU limited Urbana to 35.1 percent (13-for-37) in the second half. Meanwhile, Concord shot an even 50 percent (17-for-34) in the second half after shooting 43.8 percent (14-for-32) in the first half.
Senior guard
Aaron Miller poured in 27 points with 17 coming after halftime. Miller went over 1,700 points for his career in the win as well. The Stephens City, Virginia added a team-best eight rebound which was also a season-best.
Along with his 23 points, Bolte pulled down six rebounds and handed out five assists. In his last three games, the Chillicothe, Ohio native is averaging 20.6 points, seven rebounds and five assists per game.
Sanchez notched 16 points while Murphy added 11 points.
Bolte and Miller combined to go 23-for-25 at the free throw line to aid the Mountain Lions' 26-for-32 effort as a team at the charity stripe.
With the win, along with a UVa.-Wise loss, Concord is now in a three-way tie with UU and UVa.-Wise for ninth in the MEC.
Concord continues its road trip at Notre Dame College 3:00 p.m. Saturday.
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