Concord Readies for Rivalry Road Game Against Bluefield State

Concord Stats - Bluefield State Stats - Live Stats - Live Video - Complete Game Notes

ATHENS, W.Va. - The Concord University men's basketball team looks for a second straight win on the year when it visits Bluefield State 7:30 p.m. Tuesday for a Mercer County rivalry game.

LIVE COVERAGE
The Bluefield State Sports Information Department will provide live in-game statistics and live streaming video of Tuesday's contest. 

Live Stats
Live Video

SERIES HISTORY: Concord leads 64-37

LAST FIVE MEETINGS
February 14, 2022: Concord 89 - Bluefield State 88 (Bluefield, W.Va.)
November 16, 2022: Concord 92 - Bluefield State 87 (Athens, W.Va.)
February 3, 2020: Concord 74 - Bluefield State 71 (Athens, W.Va.)
November 12, 2019: Concord 81 - Bluefield State 70 (Bluefield, W.Va.)
January 28, 2019: Concord 86 - Bluefield State 83 (Bluefield, W.Va.)

CONCORD AT A GLANCE
Overall Record: 1-1
Home Record: 0-0
Away Record: 1-0
Neutral Record: 0-1

HEATING UP
After shooting just 31 percent against nationally-ranked Indiana (Pa.) in the season opener, the Mountain Lions rebounded to shoot 58.2 percent in an 80-60 win over Clarion Sunday afternoon. It was the highest shooting percentage for CU since shooting 64 percent at home against West Virginia Wesleyan in February 2020. Additionally, it was the highest shooting percentage on the road since shooting 60.4 percent at Winston-Salem State to open the 2017-2018 season. The Concord frontcourt of senior Jevon Laidler and fifth-year senior Da'Vion Moore combined to go 13-for-16 at Clarion. Senior guard Ethan Heller sank 6-of-10 attempts while graduate guard Lual Daniel Rahama finished 8-for-14.

GET ON THE GLASS
One of the bright spots for the Mountain Lions in the loss to IUP was outrebounding the Crimson Hawks by 13, 50-37. It was the most rebounds for Concord since grabbing 62 boards at Bluefield State last February. More than half, 26 of 50, of the rebounds for Maroon and Gray came on the offensive end. Junior guard JJ Harper snatched five of his seven rebounds on the offensive glass while Rahama ripped down four rebounds on the offensive end, and had six total. The Mountain Lions turned the 26 offensive rebounds into 17 second-chance points versus IUP. The +13 margin on the glass was the best for CU since a +32 advantage against Bluefield State in February.

THE EASY WAY
Concord only took 15 three-point attempts in the win over Clarion—the fewest attempts for a CU team since November 2019—but the Mountain Lions were efficient going 7-of-15 from beyond the arc. Heller canned two triples while Laidler hit on two three-pointers. The duo needed just eight attempts combined. CU did a bulk of its damage in the paint as 38 of its 80 points against the Golden Eagles came in the lane. The work in the lane led to the Mountain Lions passing out 17 assists on 32 made field goals. Rahama tied his career high with four assists. Harper and Heller each had three assists.

THE TRADITION CONTINUES
Under head coach Todd May, Concord has sported one of the best field-goal defenses in the Mountain East Conference, and over the weekend that held true. The Maroon and Gray limited IUP and Clarion to 41.4 percent from the field, third best in the MEC. Bluefield State shot 44.4 percent in the first meeting against CU last season, but the Mountain Lions adjusted to hold BSU to 38.6 percent shooting at Ned Shott Gymnasium. Included in last season's home win was four blocks for Moore as Concord totaled seven blocks as a team.

GET OUT AND RUN
Bluefield State's pressure forced 54 combined turnovers last season in the two games. However, when Concord was able to navigate the full-court pressure, the Mountain Lions found easy buckets. Moore averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds in the two games last season as he shot 19-for-23 from the field, and recorded one of his three career double-doubles in the 89-88 win at Bluefield State. The Mountain Lions topped 50 percent from the floor in both wins last season. Junior guard Jordan Wooden scored in double figures in both games last season with 11 points each time. Rahama averaged 15.5 points per game while Laidler added 12 points off the bench in the road victory. Wooden grabed 11 rebounds for a road double-double.

LONG-STANDING RIVALRY
Tuesday's game will be the 102^nd time that Concord and Bluefield State get together on the hardwood with CU owning a 64-37 series advantage. The only opponent that the Mountain Lions have faced off with more is Charleston who Concord will play for the 155^th time Saturday afternoon in the home opener. Concord has won nine of the last 10 meetings and has not lost at Bluefield State since December 2013 when the Big Blues took a 72-64 win over the Maroon and Gray. Before last season the only current CU player to play inside Ned Shott Gymnasium was Heller during 2019-20. However, the Mountain Lions have six players on this year's roster that has seen action at Bluefield State.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
6- Seconds remaining when Matt Weir hit two free throws as CU defeated Bluefield State last season on the road.

51.7- Percentage that Emory & Henry shot on Bluefield State Saturday.

56- Paint points for Concord at Bluefield State last season.

BLUEFIELD STATE AT A GLANCE
Overall Record: 0-1
Home Record: 0-0
Away Record: 0-1

SCOUTING THE BIG BLUES
Bluefield State lost its opener to Emory & Henry on Saturday, 96-89. The Big Blues shot 40.7 percent from three-point range (11-for-27) in the defeat, but held the Wasps to 23.8 percent from beyond the arc. Malik Tidwell poured in 27 points to lead BSU. Jordan Hinds had a team-best seven rebounds to go with 10 points. Hinds led BSU in scoring a season ago with 17 points against Concord, but needed 14 shots.