ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University men's basketball team edged Davis & Elkins, 107-100, in double overtime in the Mountain East Conference Tournament's Opening Round Monday night at the Carter Center.
CU (9-7) overcame an early nine-point deficit to grab a 35-34 halftime lead on the Senators (4-11).
Though Concord was able to outscore Davis & Elkins 22-12 in the final 11 minutes of the first half, the momentum did not carry over to the second half as it was the Senators that opened up the second half on a 10-2 run to lead 44-37 at the 17:19 mark.
Concord answered with a 14-4 run that ended with senior guard/forward
Malik Johnson canning a three-pointer at the 14:04 mark to push CU back ahead, 51-48. The Mountain Lions grew the lead to as much as seven points—twice—but D&E would not go away as it stayed within striking distance and tied the game with four seconds left in regulation.
Trailing by two in the first overtime, senior forward
Liam Evans got an offensive stick back with 54 seconds left to knot the score at 90-90. Both missed shots on their following possessions to send the contest to a second extra session.
The Mountain Lions finally got separation from Davis & Elkins in the second overtime as they opened up a 97-92 lead, aided by one of six three-pointers from sophomore guard
Ethan Heller, and an old-school three-point play from Johnson.
With the cushion, Concord sank 5-of-6 free throws in the final 49 seconds to put the game away.
Johnson pumped in a career-best 29 points to go with six rebounds and a career-high tying seven assists. Midway through the second half, the Wytheville, Virginia native also went over 1,000 career points at CU.
Paced by his six three-pointers, Heller posted 28 points to go with six rebounds and six assists.
Evans finished one point shy of his career high with 21 points while adding eight rebounds. Junior guard
Brandon Kennedy notched 14 points. Senior forward
David Bea Mulumba chipped in nine points, including a crucial three-pointer in the first overtime with Concord down 85-82.
The game featured 13 lead changes and 14 ties. Both team made 39 field goals in the contest, but it was Concord that was more efficient as it shot 50.6 percent (39-for-77) while D&E was 48.1 percent.
The Mountain Lions also made two more three-pointers (11-9), and five more free throws (18-13).
D&E owned a slight 38-36 edge on the glass, Concord turned the ball over just 12 times and dished out a season-high 21 assists.
Concord advances to play West Liberty in the MEC Tournament Quarterfinals 2:00 p.m. Friday at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling, West Virginia.
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