FAIRMONT, W.Va. – The Concord University men's basketball team used a 15-4 run to start the second half as it took control of Fairmont State in a 91-80 win at Joe Retton Arena Saturday afternoon in Mountain East Conference action.
Down 44-41 at halftime, the Mountain Lions surged out of the locker room as junior forward
Trey Brisco, sophomore guard/forward
Malik Johnson and junior
Jair Rodgers combined for all 15 points. The run continued as freshman guard
Brandon Kennedy canned two three-pointers with the second coming at the 12:04 mark to put Concord up 62-51.
After the second Kennedy triple, Concord did not allow the Fighting Falcons to close the deficit to single digits and worked the lead up to 20 points, 87-67, after a Johnson layup with 1:20 remaining in the contest.
The first half feature seven lead changes as CU held a 39-35 advantage with less than five minutes left in the opening half, but FSU limited the Maroon and Gray to two points over the final 4:02 of the first half.
Additionally, Concord had to survive eight Fairmont State three-pointers in the first 20 minutes.
Even though the Mountain Lions exploded for 50 points in the second half, the Concord defense was stellar as they held the Fighting Falcons to 33.3 percent (13-for-39) shooting in the second half. FSU was only 3-for-20 (15 percent) from three-point range in the second half as well.
Rodgers had his third 30-point game of the season as he poured in 31 points on 10-for-19 shooting and was 5-for-10 from three-point distance. Senior guard
Tommy Bolte scored 19 points as he went 10-for-10 at the foul line.
Johnson added 18 points and three more steals.
Brisco and junior forward
Simun Kovac each nearly tallied double-double as Brisco went for nine points and 10 rebounds. Kovac secured a team-best 12 rebounds while scoring eight points.
Brisco matched Johnson with three steals.
Concord stays on the road to face Notre Dame 7:30 p.m. Thursday
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