MOUNT OLIVE, N.C. – The Concord University men's basketball team fell at the 54
th Annual Pickle Classic hosted by University of Mount Olive as UMO won, 104-91, Saturday night in non-conference action.
Down 12-9 at the 15:28 mark of the first half after a layup by junior guard/forward
Malik Johnson, the Mountain Lions (2-3) saw Mount Olive go on a quick 12-2 spurt over the next 2:19 to build a 24-11 lead with 13:09 remaining in the opening half.
After the Trojans (3-1) upped their lead to 19 points, 31-12 with 11:07 remaining, a 9-4 spurt Concord back within 14 points with 9:35 in the opening half. But, UMO expanded its advantage to 57-36 at halftime.
Concord got the deficit back down to 20 points four times in the second time including the first time at the 16:25 mark on a Johnson basket. And a late run by the Mountain Lions in the game's final four minutes trimmed the deficit as small as 12 points, 103-91, with 59 seconds remaining in the contest. Concord finished the game on a 29-12 run over the game's final nine minutes, but the early second-half deficit was too much.
Senior guard
Trey Brisco finished with 20 points on 8-for-10 shooting including a 4-of-4 showing from three-point range. Freshman guard
Ethan Heller dropped in 18 points while Johnson tallied 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting.
Senior forward
Simun Kovac added a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds in the setback.
CU shot 44.4 percent (32-for-72) for the game with Mount Olive countering at 55.1 percent (38-for-69).
The Mountain Lions open up the Mountain East Conference slate as well as the home schedule when Charleston comes to town 4:00 p.m. next Saturday.
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