Concord Stats -
Fairmont State Stats -
Frostburg State Stats -
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Live Stats -
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Complete Game Notes
ATHENS, W.Va. - The Concord University men's basketball team closes a three-game homestand as it faces Fairmont State 7:30 p.m. Tuesday before taking on Frostburg State 7:30 p.m. Saturday in two Mountain East Conference games inside the Carter Center.
LIVE COVERAGE
Audio: Jason Reed and
Steve Cox will have live radio play-by-play coverage on 94.5 "Willie" FM and streaming online at www.mywillie.com
Stats: The Concord University Sports Information Department will have live in-game statistics of each game.
Video: Live streaming video will be available courtesy of the Concord Sports Information Department.
RECORDS
The Mountain Lions are 4-5 this season and 2-2 against league foes. Fairmont State enters the contest with a four-game winning streak and a 6-1 overall record. FSU is 3-1 in the MEC. Frostburg State is 2-6 this season with a mark of 1-3 against the MEC.
HITTING THE MARK
CU connected on 14 three-pointers against Notre Dame which matched the season high set against Pitt-Johnstown in the first game of 2019-20. The Mountain Lions hit 14 triples on just 26 attempts which marked the second time this season Concord shot 50 percent or better from behind the arc. Concord was 9-for-18 from three-point distance at Bluefield State. The Mountain Lions' 53.8 percent showing from deep against NDC was the second highest in the MEC with a team attempting at least 20 three-pointers this season. Charleston was 12-for-21 (57.1 percent) from beyond the arc against Malone earlier this season. Freshman guard
Ethan Heller led the way with a 5-for-9 showing from three-point range versus Notre Dame. Senior guard
Trey Brisco made 4-of-6 three-pointers against the Falcons. Heller's 24 three-pointers are the most in the MEC this season. Meanwhile, Brisco—a career 37 percent shooter from three-point range—is connecting on 51.6 percent of his triples this season (16-for-31).
ON LOCK DOWN
Earlier this season, Brisco held 2019 All-MEC First Team guard Drew Rackley to 2-for-13 shooting in an 86-78 Concord win over Charleston. Brisco's workmen-like defense was on display against another 2019 All-MEC First Team guard this past Saturday as he limited Notre Dame's Larenz Thurman to 5-for-16 from the floor. Brisco and the Concord backcourt will be asked to slow the Fairmont State duo of Dale Bonner and Cole VonHandorf who have combined to score 37.7 points per game this season with both shooting 46 percent or better from the floor. On the weekend, Brisco and the CU defense will look to limit Frostburg State's Daniel Alexander who enters the week as the MEC's second-leading scorer at 22.1 points per game.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
In his first start at Concord on Saturday, junior
Liam Evans gave the Mountain Lions 12 points and nine rebounds as the Melbourne, Australia native just missed what would have been his first career double-double. Senior guard
Martin Kelly Jr. tallied his first career double-double at CU as he went for 15 points and 10 rebounds in the victory. Of the nine rebounds for Evans, six came on the offensive end as he helped Concord to 12 second-chance points. Before Saturday, Evans had just eight offensive rebounds in the previous eight games this season, and just 23 for the entire year. At Evans' previous stop—Saginaw Valley State—he never had more than four offensive rebounds in a game last season.
PLAYING THE PERCENTAGES
Concord, Fairmont State and Frostburg State all start the weekend ranked in the top half in the MEC in field goal defense. In fact, all three teams are within one percentage point of each other in field goal defense. Frostburg State is holding team to 45.1 percent which is second in the MEC, Fairmont State's field-goal defense is third at 45.3 percent, and Concord is ranked sixth at 46.0 percent. The Mountain Lions shot 43.9 percent in a 93-83 overtime loss at home last season against FSU, but shot 44.3 percent in a 91-80 road win. The biggest difference was FSU shooting 39.5 percent in the defeat, but 50.7 percent in its win.
GETTING ON THE GLASS
In both games with Fairmont State last season, Concord owned a decided advantage in rebounding. In the overtime loss, CU outboarded the Fighting Falcons 45-31. At Fairmont State, Concord had a +9 advantage in rebounding, 50-41, including Brisco grabbing 10 rebounds. The Mountain Lions have won the rebounding battle in each of their last four games and have a season rebounding margin of +1.4. Frostburg State's rebounding margin is -5.6 while Fairmont State is just below at -6.3.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
5- Number of games the Mountain Lions have played this season that have been decided by five points or less.
16- Assists by Concord against Notre Dame on 30 made shots, the second highest total for CU this season.
79- The second time Concord won a game scoring 79 points this season. CU won 79-76 to start the season versus Pitt-Johnstown.
FAIRMONT STATE AT A GLANCE
The Fighting Falcons are coached by a familiar face—former Notre Dame head coach Tim Koenig who led NDC to an MEC Championship last winter before leaving for north central West Virginia. Along with Bonner and VonHandorf, Kenzie Melko-Marshall (13.1 points per game) and Isaiah Sanders (10.3 points per game) are also averaging double figures. FSU has been the comeback kings this season as it has erased halftime deficits in each one of its six wins, including coming back from a 20-point, second-half deficit in its most recent win at West Virginia State. Fairmont State is one of four teams in the MEC holding teams to under 80 points per game.
FROSTBURG STATE AT A GLANCE
The aforementioned Alexander is just one of two players averaging double figures for the Bobcats as Lawrence Pettis scores 11.0 points per game. Frostburg State has allowed 100 or more points in back-to-back games against Charleston and West Virginia State, and will play Glenville State who is scoring 99.3 points per game before coming to Athens Saturday night. This weekend will be the first matchup between Concord and FSU in the all-time series.
