ATHENS, W.Va. -- The Concord University women's basketball team puts its 10-game winning streak on the line when it squares off with Mountain East Conference-leading Glenville State 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Carter Center before hitting the road to take on West Virginia Wesleyan 2:00 p.m. Saturday.
LIVE COVERAGE
Stats: Both Concord and Wesleyan's Sports Information Departments will provide live in-game statistics.Â
Video: Both Concord and Wesleyan's Sports Information Departments will also provide live video streaming.
RECORDS
The Mountain Lions have a record of 15-3 overall and 10-2 in the conference.
Glenville State is one game ahead of CU in the conference standings at 11-1 and is 16-2 this season.
West Virginia Wesleyan starts the week with a mark of 4-11 and is 4-8 versus league foes.
BATTLE AT THE TOP
Wednesday's contest features two of the top three teams in the MEC as GSC is one game ahead of the Mountain Lions and Charleston for first place. The Pioneers' only loss in conference play was a late-November defeat at Fairmont State while CU faltered at home against Charleston and at Glenville State. The 10-game win streak for Concord is the longest under head coach Kenny Osborne and also the longest since becoming a Division II school prior to 1994-95 school year. Only 11 other schools in all of Division II have a longer active winning streak than Concord. And Concord's winning streak is the second longest in the MEC this season behind Charleston's 13-game streak that GSC snapped earlier this season. Meanwhile, Glenville State has won 39 of its last 40 MEC regular season games.
ROLLING RIGHT ALONG
During Concord's win streak, the Maroon and Gray has an average margin of victory of 18.8 with six wins coming by at least 15 points. The Mountain Lions picked up a 74-39 non-conference win over Bluefield State Monday which was the fourth win this season for CU by at least 25 points. By holding the Blues to 28.6 percent shooting, it was the fourth time this season Concord has held an opponent to less than 30 percent shooting.
TAKE IT AWAY
In their last three games, the Mountain Lions have collected a total of 35 steals including a season-best 14 steals at Charleston and adding 13 more versus Bluefield State. In that stretch, senior guard Emily Boothe has collected seven steals while junior forward Madison May and senior guard Andreanna Pool each have six . Sophomore forward Tamra Scott added a career-best three steals versus Bluefield State. On Wednesday, CU faces the top team in the league in terms of steals per game. Glenville State averages 14.6 steals per game. GSC's steal rate ranks third in all of Division II.
WE'VE GOT POINTS
Wednesday's matchup also features two of the top 10 scoring offenses in Division II as Glenville State ranks first in points per game (104.1) while Concord sits 10th (81.1). The Pioneers have won eight straight over CU, but in that time the Mountain Lions are averaging 77.6 points per game including scoring at least 80 points in three straight games. In her last three contests versus GSC, May is averaging 22.6 points per game and nine rebounds. To start the week, the Athens, West Virginia native is 75 points away from 1,000 for her career. Meanwhile, sophomore forward Riley Fitzwater who is from Glenville has averaged a double-double in three previous games against the Pioneers—16 points and 12 rebounds. Fitzwater, who is the national leader in blocks per game (4.3), needs nine blocks to reach 200 for her career
CLIMBING THE LADDER
In other record book notes, Boothe became the sixth player in program history with 150 made three-pointers as she hit on all three attempts against Bluefield State. The Riner, Virginia native also tied Samm Nester for ninth in assists with 238. May moved past Camisha Alexander for ninth in made free throws in program history with 271 after knocking in 9-of-14 attempts versus BSC
SHARP SHOOTERS
Concord has won four straight games over West Virginia Wesleyan including the last three by at least 15 points. In December, the Mountain Lions downed WVWC 78-51 inside the Carter Center while shooting 55.4 percent from the floor. In the last three victories over the Bobcats, CU has managed to shoot at least 55 percent from the field. Earlier this season, Fitzwater had 21 points against Wesleyan on 9-for-10 shooting. May added 17 points on a 7-for-13 performance from the floor. When the Mountain Lions knocked off Wesleyan 88-68 on the road last season, it was a breakout game for May as she scored 30 points on 11-of-19 shooting. At the time, May's scoring output was the first 30-point game for a CU player since February 2014, and her previous career high was 21 points.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
69.5- National-leading field goal percentage for Fitzwater.
12- Number of rebounds for both Fitzwater and May in the first meeting with Glenville State.
30.9- Field goal percentage that CU held Wesleyan to in December
GLENVILLE STATE AT A GLANCE
Not only are the Pioneers near the top of Division II in points per game and steals per game, but GSC also ranks seventh in assists per game (19.1). Glenville State is the only team in the MEC knocking down more than 10 three-pointers per game as it averages over 12. The Pioneers beat Concord 114-87 at home this season. Emily Stoller is third in the MEC in scoring as she averages 20.7 points per game in just 20.8 minutes per game.
WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN AT A GLANCE
Wesleyan is scoring just 64 points per game which ranks 11th in the MEC. On the defensive end, the Bobcats are fourth in the league in steals per game (9.6) and rank fifth in field goal percentage defense (43.1). Abi Gabauer is the lone Wesleyan player averaging double figures at 10.9 points per game. Before hosting CU, Wesleyan goes to UVa.-Wise Wednesday.
