ELKINS, W.Va. – The Concord University men's basketball team used an 11-2 run in the early stages of the second half to defeat Davis & Elkins, 66-61, Wednesday night in Mountain East Conference play at the McDonnell Center.
With the game tied 37-37 3:09 into the second half, the Mountain Lions (9-16, 6-13 MEC) scored 11 of the next 13 points to take a 48-39 lead with 13:05 remaining in the contest. Senior guard
Martin Kelly Jr. started the run with four straight points while junior guard/forward
Malik Johnson punctuated the spurt with five straight points at the end.
After a layup from junior forward
David Bea Mulumba with 7:15 left, Concord opened up its largest lead of the game, 56-45.
However, Davis & Elkins (6-19, 4-15 MEC) surged as it outscored the Mountain Lions 14-5 over the next 6:57 of the game to close within two points, 61-59.
On the next two CU possessions, Kelly Jr. quickly put the end to any thought of a Senators' comeback as he went 4-of-4 at the foul line in the final 12 seconds. Defensively, Concord halted the D&E momentum by only allowing one field goal in closing seconds.
D&E jumped out an 8-2 lead in the first four minutes, but the Maroon and Gray found their shooting stroke as they took a 15-14 edge at the 11:08 mark. Behind a 54.2 percent shooting display in the opening 20 minutes, Concord closed the first half on a 9-2 run and took a 33-30 lead into the intermission.
Kelly Jr. scored 14 of his 18 points after halftime and added 10 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season. Freshman guard
Ethan Heller chipped in 13 points while Johnson recorded 11 points off the bench.
Senior guard
Trey Brisco had just eight points and six rebounds, but limited D&E's leading scorer Donte Doleman to 10 points—two in the second—on 4-for-13 shooting. For the season, Brisco held
Doleman to 18 total points in two games on 7-for-26 shooting. Doleman averages just over 18 points per game.
CU finished the game shooting 45.3 percent (24-for-53) as it assisted on 21 of 24 made shots.
Heller had five assists while Brisco and Kelly Jr. each tallied four.
The Mountain Lions celebrate Senior Day 4:00 p.m. Saturday versus West Virginia Wesleyan.
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