Concord Renews Rivalry with Mercer County Foe Bluefield State

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

ATHENS, W.Va. - After a 2-0 start to the season, the Concord University men's basketball team begins the home portion of its schedule against Mercer County rival Bluefield State 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Carter Center.

LIVE COVERAGE
The Concord University Sports Information Department will have live statistics and live streaming video of the game. 

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SERIES HISTORY: Concord leads 67-37

LAST FIVE MEETINGS VERSUS BLUEFIELD STATE
February 13, 2023: Concord 103 - Bluefield State 85 (Athens, W.Va.)
November 15, 2022: Concord 88 - Bluefield State 77 (Bluefield, W.Va.)
February 14, 2022: Concord 89 - Bluefield State 88 (Bluefield, W.Va.)
November 16, 2021: Concord 92 - Bluefield State 87 (Athens, W.Va.)
February 3, 2020: Concord 74 - Bluefield State 71 (Athens, W.Va.)

CONCORD AT A GLANCE
Overall Record: 2-0
MEC Record: 0-0
Home Record: 0-0
Away Record: 1-0
Neutral Record: 1-0

UPSET VICTORY
The Mountain Lions scored one of their biggest upsets in the Todd May-era—dating back to 2016—as it picked off previously fourth-ranked Indiana (Pa.), 61-57, Friday night inside IUP's Kovalchick Arena. Concord overcame a 22-point first half as it shot 50 percent in the second half to score the comeback victory. It was the first win for CU over a non-conference, nationally-ranked team in program history. The 61 points for the Maroon and Gray were the fewest in a win since 2014-15 when they tallied 54 points in a win over West Virginia Wesleyan. Senior guard Jordan Wooden tied his career high with four made three-pointers as he notched 18 points. Junior forward Amare Smith added 16 points while sophomore forward Rene Diop flirted with a triple-double of eight points, 10 rebounds and seven blocks.

BLUE-COLLAR EFFORT
Concord backed up its win over Indiana (Pa.) with a 78-71 victory against Pitt-Johnstown Saturday. It had been nearly three years since the Mountain Lions had consecutive victories when it scored less than 80 points—the beginning of the 2021 season against West Virginia Wesleyan (73-69) and Charleston (64-62). After stifling IUP into a 26-percent shooting game, CU limited Pitt-Johnstown to 39 percent from the floor. Concord's team field-goal defense of 33.1 percent is more than six points better than second place in the MEC—Notre Dame at 39.5 percent. Concord leaned on Diop to alter shots against IUP as he swatted a career-best seven shots. It was the most blocks in a game for a Concord player since Terry Hopewell also had seven against West Virginia State during the 2014-15 season.

GLASS SMASH
Another prime reason why the Mountain Lions had a 2-0 start over the weekend was a relentless attack on the boards. Concord racked up more than 50 rebounds in both games. CU outrebounded IUP 53-48, and added 52 more rebounds against Pitt-Johnstown to the Mountain Cats' 38. Sophomore guard Kollin Tolbert picked up his first career double-double versus UPJ as he went for 15 points and 13 rebounds. It was the first double-double in points and rebounds for a CU starting point guard since Tommy Bolte went for 39 points and 10 rebounds against Fairmont State February 2018. Harper tied his career high in boards with eight against Pitt-Johnstown while Diop finished one off his career of 11 versus IUP.

FIT AND FAST
The two meetings last year between Concord and Bluefield State featured right around 80 possessions for both teams. The normal college basketball game is between 65-70 possessions per team. CU used the extra possessions to score a season-best 103 points in February to down the Big Blues, 103-85. BSU employs a full-court pressure that the Maroon and Gray was able to handle last season in two wins by averaging just 15 turnovers per game. And a staple of the Bluefield State attack is points off turnovers. At BSU last season, Concord limited the Big Blues to 10 points off turnovers. In Athens, Bluefield State netted 20 points off 17 CU turnovers. 

HOT SHOTS
In scoring a season-best 103 points last season, the Mountain Lions shot a blistering 63.8 percent from the floor, also a season high. Concord was a scorching 10-of-14 from three-point distance versus BSU in February. Fifth-year senior forward Jevon Laidler was 6-for-9 from the field, including making both three-pointers, as he went for a double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds. Smith posted 11 points on 5-of-9 shooting. Harper was 6-for-11 for his 15 points. In an 88-77 win at Bluefield State last November, CU survived a 28-point first half before exploding for 60 points in shooting 53 percent. CU was only 2-for-16 from three-point range at Bluefield State last year.

KEEP THE STREAK
Concord has won nine straight games over Bluefield State ahead of Wednesday's 105^th all-time meeting between the schools. One constant theme in the wins has been CU's ability to rebound against the Big Blues. At BSU last season, Concord held a 50-41 margin on the glass, and at home nearly doubled up Bluefield State on the boards, 51-26. The Maroon and Gray has held the rebounding advantage in seven of the last nine games, and has rebounded the Big Blues by an average of 10 (43.2-33.1). Included in that was a 62-30 advantage two years at BSU. In February 2022, Wooden provided a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds. Laidler added 12 points and six boards.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
6- CU is sixth nationally in field-goal defense after the first weekend of the season.

17.5- Combined rebounds per game from Tolbert (9.0) and Diop (8.5) as they rank second and fourth in the Mountain East Conference.

27- Points that Concord outscored BSU by in each second half of last season games.

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

SCOUTING THE BIG BLUES
Bluefield State started the season with a win over Clarion, 80-77, in a game that featured 13 ties and 16 lead changes. BSU was unable to defeat regional power Mercyhurst in the second game of the weekend. Jordan Hinds just missed a double-double against Clarion with 26 points and nine rebounds. He added 18 points at Mercyhurst. The suffocating pressure of BSU forced 45 turnovers in two games over the weekend with Hinds coming up with 12 steals. Nduka Ogwu is averaging 10.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game so far.