Concord Matches Up with Rival Bluefield State Tuesday

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

ATHENS, W.Va. - The Concord University women's basketball team plays at Bluefield State 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in a Mercer County rival game inside Ned Shott Gymnasium.

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

Live Stats
Live Video

SERIES HISTORY: Concord leads 36-15

LAST FIVE MEETINGS
February 14, 2022: Concord 75 - Bluefield State 68 (Bluefield, W.Va.)
November 16, 2021: Concord 56 - Bluefield State 43 (Athens, W.Va.)
February 3, 2020: Concord 63 - Bluefield State 53 (Athens, W.Va.)
November 12, 2019: Concord 75 - Bluefield State 45 (Bluefield, W.Va.)
January 28, 2019: Concord 74 - Bluefield State 39 (Athens, W.Va.)

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

DEFENSIVE MINDSET
Concord went 1-1 over the weekend as it defeated Clarion 55-44 before losing Winston-Salem State 55-44. The 44 points was the first time holding an opponent under 50 points since limiting Hawaii Pacific to 47 points last December. CU only limited two opponents to fewer than 50 points last season—at Hawaii Pacific and home against Bluefield State November 16. The Maroon and Gray also forced Clarion into shooting 24.1 percent—the lowest percentage for a Concord opponent since Bluefield State only shot 23.2 percent last November. Concord won the first meeting of last season against BSU 56-43 as it held the Big Blues to 13 combined points in the second and third quarters.

LET IT FLY
Graduate guard Maggie Guynn went 5-for-10 from three-point range over the weekend as she moved into seventh on all-time three-point list at Concord with 137. Guynn tied her single-game career best with four three pointers against Winston-Salem State as all 12 of her points came from beyond the arc, tying a career high in made three-pointers for the Pearisburg, Virginia native. Concord better from three-point range over the weekend than from the floor. The Mountain Lions shot better from three-point range over the weekend than they did from the floor overall (34.3-29.5). The eight three-pointers made by the Maroon and Gray against Winston-Salem State over the weekend was the first time in 12 games CU made at least eight three-pointers and shot 40 percent or better from (8-for-20 versus WSSU) from beyond the arc.

STRONG START (AND FINISH)
Graduate forward Alexis Phillips began the season with her third career double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds in the 11-point win over Clarion. The Pulaksi, Virginia native now has all three career double-doubles in her last 11 games played. She just missed her a second consecutive double-double with eight points and nine rebounds versus Winston-Salem State. The rapid production against WSSU came in just 17 minutes of action. Meanwhile, junior guard Jaisah Smith helped CU finish off Clarion by going 6-for-6 at the foul line in the final 70 seconds of the game. And Smith is 8-for-8 at the foul overall this season. Last year, Smith was just 11-for-16 at the foul line (68.7 percent) in the final three minutes of games.

RIGHT AT HOME
Concord has won 12 straight games in the all-time series against Bluefield State, including not losing at Ned Shott Gymnasium since the 2014-15 season, a 70-55 BSU victory. Along with the 56-43 win at home, the Mountain Lions secured a 75-68 road win on Valentine's Day in February. Senior guard Jazz Blankenship netted 16 points on 4-for-6 shooting from three-point range. Junior guard Jazz Blankenship helped close out the Big Blues by going 12-of-12 at the foul line for one of her two career 20-point performance. Ratcliff made half of her free throws in the final 20 seconds of the game.

TAKE IT AWAY
Concord forced Clarion in 24 turnovers in Friday afternoon's win as 11 of those 24 turnovers turned into CU steals. The Mountain Lions only had 11 steals twice in a game last winter. Guynn notched her first career three-steal game while Ratcliff matched Guynn in takeaways in the win. CU is fifth in the Mountain East Conference in steals per game at 9.5 while Guynn ranks in a tie for fifth in the conference with 2.5 per contest. Bluefield State is averaging 21.5 steals per game and are turning their opponents more than 30 times per game. Bluefield native Dani Janutolo has 12 steals through two games.

RESERVE SCORING
Last season, the depth of the Mountain Lions was strength and that proved true in Saturday's game against Winston-Salem State. Nineteen of Concord's 55 points against the Rams came from the bench. Blankenship scored nine points as she connected on two three-pointers. Freshman forward Abbie Smith chipped in seven points and six rebounds in 20 minutes. Sophomore guard Drea Betts hit a three-pointer in each game over the weekend off the bench.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
21- Games that Concord is ahead in the series against Bluefield State (36-15).

28- Combined games coached between CU head coach Tesla Southcott (two) and BSU head man Paul Davis (26)

87.5- Free-throw percentage for Concord (21-for-24) at Bluefield State last season.

BLUEFIELD STATE AT A GLANCE
Overall Record: 2-0
Home Record: 2-0
Away Record: 0-0

SCOUTING THE BIG BLUES
Bluefield State won each of its first two games by 25 points each, against Mars Hill and Washington Adventist. Winthrop transfer Essence Cowan is averaging 17.5 points per game with all 11 of her field goal coming three-point range. Janutolo is adding 11.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per contest. The Big Blues were outrebounded by Washington Adventist 41-24 in Saturday's win.