INDIANA, Pa. – The Concord University men's basketball team stormed back to force overtime against Pitt-Johnstown Friday night inside the Kovalchick Complex on the campus of IUP, but fell 96-91.
Down 18 points at halftime and trailing 64-51 five minutes into the second half, the Mountain Lions (0-1) pieced together a run that shrunk the lead to 69-65. Sophomore guard
Dorian Groggs and fifth-year senior forward
Lual Daniel Rahama combined for all 14 CU points during the spurt.
Pitt-Johnstown (1-0) worked the lead out to 77-67 with six minutes left in the contest, but once again CU had an answer. The next nine points belonged to Concord with junior guard
Ethan Heller hitting a three-pointer to cap the run. Both teams traded buckets down the stretch and it was two foul shots by Heller with a second remaining in regulation that forced the game to overtime at 85-85.
The Mountain Cats held Concord without a field goal for the first 2:35 of the extra session as they went up 90-86 before a layup from fifth-year senior guard
Matt Weir. UPJ had an answer on the following possession to take a 92-88 edge as neither team could find the bucket until 18 seconds remaining when Pitt-Johnstown hit two free throws to go up 94-88.
Concord wasn't done though as Groggs responded with one of his five three-pointers in the game to cut the six-point deficit in half. UPJ, though, was able to close out the game with two more free throws.
The Mountain Lions were led by Groggs and Weir as both poured in 19 points. Weir added six rebounds and seven assists. Rahama scored 18 points. And Heller chipped in 10 points.
Concord canned 16 three-pointers in the game as Groggs and Weir combined for nine triples.
CU has a quick turnaround when it faces nationally-ranked Indiana (Pa.) 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
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