Concord Set for Season-Opening Games Against IUP, Clarion

Concord Stats - IUP Stats - Clarion Stats - Live Stats - Live Video - Complete Game Notes

ATHENS, W.Va. - The Concord University men's basketball team takes on nationally-ranked Indiana (Pa.) 1:00 p.m. Saturday before facing off against Clarion 3:00 p.m. Sunday in a pair of games at Tippin Gymnasium in Clarion, Pennsylvania to start the season.

LIVE COVERAGE
The Clarion University Sports Information Department will provide live statistics and live streaming video of both games involving Concord. 

Live Stats
Live Video

SERIES HISTORY vs. IUP: IUP leads 5-0
SERIES HISTORY vs. Clarion: Concord leads 1-0

ALL-TIME MEETINGS AGAINST IUP
November 13, 2021: IUP 98 - Concord 78 (Indiana, Pa.)
November 9, 2019: IUP 80 - Concord 73 (Indiana, Pa.)
November 9, 2018: IUP 83 - Concord 72 (Indiana, Pa.)
November 29, 2002: IUP 77 - Concord 73 (Bluefield, W.Va.)
1998: IUP 88 - Concord 73 (Bluefield, W.Va.)

ALL-TIME MEETING AGAINST CLARION
December 9, 2005: Concord 89 - Clarion 86 (Montgomery, W.Va.)

CONCORD AT A GLANCE
Overall Record: 14-15
MEC Record: 11-11
Home Record: 8-4
Away Record: 5-8
Neutral Record: 1-3

BRINGING BACK THE CORE
CU must replace all-conference guard Matt Weir who averaged 16.9 points and 5.1 assists per game while shooting 42.9 percent from three-point distance. However, the Mountain Lions welcome back their next four and six of the top eight scorers from last season. Graduate guard Lual Daniel Rahama is eighth among returning players in the MEC in scoring last season. Rahama poured in 15 points per game and shot 47.3 percent from the floor. Senior guard Ethan Heller is less than 300 points away from 1,000 points in his career after he averaged 9.9 points per game last season and canned 50 three-pointers. Junior guard Jordan Wooden (8.7) and senior forward Jevon Laidler (8.2) both averaged at least eight points last winter.

GOING OUT STRONG
Coming out the Christmas break last season, Wooden was only averaging 4.5 points per game. However, the Roanoke, Virginia native finished 2021-22 by scoring in double figures in nine of his final 16 games of the season. Wooden collected both of his career double-doubles in the month of February last year and netted 20 or more points in three games. In the final 10 games of the season, Wooden shot 49 percent (51-of-104). Sophomore forward Amare Smith finished last season with a strong impression. The Huntington, West Virginia native started the final 14 games of the season as he posted double figures in seven games, including a career-best 28 points versus Davis & Elkins February 19.  

MILESTONE MOMENT
Head coach Todd May starts the season tied with his predecessor, Kent McBride, on the all-time wins list at Concord. May begins his seventh season at CU with a mark of 83-81, tied for fifth with McBride (2011-16). Heller starts the campaign with 137 career three-pointers, tied for 17^th in program history. With eight more three-pointers, the Thornville, Ohio native would surpass former sharp shooter Brandon Kennedy for 15^th on the all-time list at Concord. After scoring 405 points last season—more than his three previous combined seasons at Virginia State (313), Rahama needs 282 points to reach 1,000 for his career.

TRIPLE THREAT
Concord buried 301 three-pointers last season as it finished second in the conference in made triples per game (10.4). The Mountain Lions were first in the MEC in shooting percentage from beyond the arc, 38.1 percent. It marked the first time Concord shot better than 38 percent from three-point distance since 2015-16. And last season was just the fourth time in program history that the Maroon and Gray connected on at least 300 three-pointers. On the opposite end of the floor, CU led the MEC in three-point defense as it held the opposition to 31.5 percent from behind the arc. The 220 three-pointers that the Mountain Lions surrendered were the third fewest in the league.

TAKING ON THE BEST
Saturday marks the third time in four seasons that Concord takes on Indiana (Pa.). The Crimson Hawks start the season ranked third in Division II after a run to the Final Four in 2021-22. The third-ranked Crimson Hawks are the highest-ranked foe for the Mountain Lions since facing second-ranked West Liberty at home February 2017, a 107-104 win for the Maroon and Gray. IUP was rated 18^th nationally when it downed Concord 98-78 last November. Heller and Rahama each had 18 points as they combined to shoot 12-for-20 from the field and 7-of-11 from three-point range. Five of the six rebounds for Rahama were on the offensive end.

IT'S BEEN A WHILE
Sunday's game will be the first time CU opposes Clarion since an 89-86 win December 9, 2005. It will also be the first time the teams get together inside the Tippin Center. Discounting the five losses to Indiana (Pa.), the Mountain Lions are 5-3 all-time against Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West Division schools. The most recent win for Concord was a 79-76 win over Pitt-Johnstown in the first game of the 2019-20 season. Heller poured in 29 points in his first career game in the Maroon and Gray.

COMFORTABLE BEING UNCOMFORTABLE
More than half of Concord's games last season were decided by 10 points or less, 16 of 29. Concord was 11-5 in those contests, and was 7-4 in games that were decided by five points or less. The last six games of last season had an outcome of less than 10 points, including an 88-84 loss in the MEC Quarterfinals to Charleston. And 10 of the final 11 games were decided by fewer than 10 points. Additionally, two of three games that went to overtime last season came in February, at Frostburg State and at West Virginia State.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
6- Concord will play six of its first seven games of the season away from the Carter Center.

22- Percentage that CU held Indiana (Pa.) to from three-point range in last year's game.

351- Miles separating the campuses of Concord and Clarion.

IUP AT A GLANCE
Overall Record: 33-3
PSAC West Record: 20-2
Home Record: 21-1
Away Record: 11-1
Neutral Record: 101

SCOUTING THE CRIMSON HAWKS
Ethan Porterfield was named all-region last season after averaging 16.8 points per game and shooting 55.9 percent from the field. He grabbed 7.2 rebounds and made 81 three-pointers. Tennessee State transfer Dave Morris added 12.2 points per game while hitting 85 three-pointers. Shawndale Jones was averaging 25 points per game before his season was cut short after seven games. The season ended for IUP to eventual national runner-up Augusta. The Crimson Hawks have already played Division I exhibitions against Miami and Syracuse this fall. IUP held a 33-32 halftime lead on SU.

CLARION AT A GLANCE
Overall Record: 9-18
PSAC West Record: 5-17
Home Record: 6-7
Away Record: 1-11
Neutral Record: 2-0

SCOUTING THE GOLDEN EAGLES
Clarion welcomes back its leading scorer from a season ago in Gerald Jarmon who poured in 20.3 points per game. Jarmon shot 45 percent from floor. The Golden Eagles started last season 3-1 with wins over Claflin and Frostburg State, but finished the year 6-17. CU also lost eight straight games to conclude 2021-22. The Golden Eagles shot 43.1 percent from the field, but allowed teams to make 46.7 percent. of it shots.