Concord Puts Win Streak Up Against Wheeling Jesuit, West Liberty

Concord Stats - Wheeling Jesuit Stats - West Liberty Stats - Live Stats (Wheeling Jesuit) - Live Stats (West Liberty) - Live Video (Wheeling Jesuit) - Live Video (West Liberty) - Live Audio (West Liberty Only) - Complete Game Notes

ATHENS, W.Va. - Riding a five-game win streak, the Concord University women's basketball team hits the road for a two-game swing in West Virginia's Northern Panhandle as it faces Wheeling Jesuit 5:30 p.m. Thursday before traveling to West Liberty 1:00 p.m. Saturday in a pair of Mountain East Conference games.

LIVE COVERAGE
Audio: Live audio coverage will be provided by West Liberty for the game on Saturday between the Mountain Lions and Hilltoppers.
Stats: Both the Wheeling Jesuit and West Liberty Sports Information Departments will have live in-game statistics.
Video: Live streaming video will be available for the two-game road trip in the northern part of the state.

RECORS
CU is 10-3 this season and 6-2 in the MEC.

Wheeling Jesuit sports a mark of 3-11 overall and is 1-7 versus conference teams.

The Hilltoppers are 8-6 overall and have put together an MEC record of 5-3

EXTENDING THE STREAK
The Mountain Lions cruised to a pair of wins to lengthen their win streak after downing Shepherd 80-56 and defeating Fairmont State 87-69. Concord's average margin of victory during its five-game win streak is 18.4 points and four of the five games have been won by 17 or more points. The win streak matches a five-game win streak the Maroon and Gray put together from January 11-20, 2018. During last season's streak, CU's average margin of victory was 12.4 points per game.

GETTING ON THE GLASS
In its wins last week, the Mountain Lions outrebounded both Shepherd and Fairmont State, including outboarding FSU by 18 (45-27)—the second-best rebounding margin of the season for Concord. Senior guard Emily Boothe led the rebounding effort against the Fighting Falcons as she snatched a career-best 11 rebounds. Of the 45 rebounds Concord had, 16 were on the offensive end of the floor and turned into 20 second-chance points for the Mountain Lions. Freshman forward Maggie Guynn, junior forward Madison May and sophomore forward Tamra Scott combined for nine of the 16 offensive rebounds. This season, CU owns the best rebounding margin in the MEC (+5.5) and has only been outrebounded in three of 13 games.

AMONG THE BEST
Heading into play this weekend, the Maroon and Gray is ranked top 15 nationally in four statistical categories. CU is fourth nationally in blocks per game (5.9) and fifth in team field goal percentage (48.2). Additionally, the Mountain Lions are 15^th in both points per game (80.3) and assists per game (17.5). Dating back to the first of December, Concord has shot 50 percent of better in five of seven games and was 48 percent from the floor in a sixth game. Against Shepherd, sophomore forward Riley Fitzwater finished the game 9-for-14 (64.2 percent) while May was 11-for-14 (78.5 percent) from the field. As a team, CU shot 55.6 percent (35-for-63) from the field. On Saturday versus Fairmont State, Concord was 50 percent (32-for-64) from the floor. Scott came off the bench to score a career-best 17 points on 8-for-12 shooting. Guynn was 4-for-8 from the field and notched 10 points. Meanwhile, senior guard Andreanna Pool was just below the 50-percent mark as she hit on 7-of-16 (43.7 percent) shots for 20 points.

DOWN TO THE WIRE
Last season, Concord and Wheeling Jesuit play two tight games as CU edged Wheeling Jesuit 71-70 at the Carter Center before WJU grabbed a 77-68 victory at home. The Mountain Lions outscored the Cardinals 17-11 in the fourth quarter and then-senior forward Heather Chapman hit a pair of free throws with five seconds left to lift Concord to a one-point win. At Wheeling Jesuit, Concord trailed by  five points with 48 seconds remaining, but WJU got a pair of defensive stops and made four foul shots in the final seconds to hold off CU's late comeback attempt. Boothe averaged 10.5 points in two games versus the Cardinals last season as she came off the bench in both instances. May chipped in 13 points per game versus WJU last season including 20 points at Wheeling Jesuit.

HISTORY MAKER
In the win over Wheeling Jesuit last season, Fitzwater nearly went for a triple-double as she recorded 22 points, 26 rebounds and nine blocks. Her 26 rebounds did set a single-game program record and her nine blocks were a single-game school record at the time. Earlier this season, Fitzwater had 10 points, 20 rebounds and 11 blocks at West Virginia State for the program's first ever triple-double.

MIRROR IMAGE
Saturday will be a matchup of two of the most potent offenses in the MEC. West Liberty is second in points per game in the MEC (87.2) while Concord is fourth (80.3). CU is tied for first in the league in field goal percentage while WLU is third (47.4). The Hilltoppers lead all of Division II in assists per game (20.7). The most important individual matchup could be Fitzwater versus West Liberty post player Marissa Brown. Fitzwater starts the week leading Division II in field goal percentage (70.8) and blocks per game (4.1). Brown and Fitzwater are tied for fourth nationally in rebounds per game (12.1) while Fitzwater's counterpart ranks third in scoring (25.5) and second in blocks per game (4.0). Last season, Fitzwater averaged 12.5 points, 13.5 rebounds and eight blocks per game in two contests versus WLU. Brown was equally impressive as she posted 29.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and three blocks per game against Concord.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
6- Six consecutive wins for CU would be its first such streak since February 2012.

12- Rebounds need by Fitzwater to become the 12^th player in program history with 500 career boards.

53.9- Combined field goal percentage for Concord in two games versus West Liberty last season.

WHEELING JESUIT AT A GLANCE
Not only did the Cardinals lose their starting backcourt from last season in Monica Burns and Mariah Callen, but Mike Llanas is in his first season on the sidelines at Wheeling Jesuit taking over for Debbie Buff. WJU has received strong front-court play from Chenelle Moore who is averaging 15.6 points per game and is second in Division II in rebounds per game at 12.5 per contest. Khira Burton is also averaging double figures this season, scoring 14.8 points per game.

WEST LIBERTY AT A GLANCE
With Brown in the post, the Hilltoppers have surrounded her with two shooters: Brandi Beader and Morgan Brunner. The duo is second and third in the conference in three-point percentage with Beader at 44.8 and Brunner at 41.1. Beader has knocked in the third-most three-pointers in the MEC with 39 this season. Sophomore point guard Audrey Tingle is second in the MEC in assists per game (5.7) while Taylor Johnson hands out 4.8 assists per contest. While West Liberty is averaging 87 points per game, it gives up 83.0 points on average to opponents.