Concord Travels to West Virginia State for First MEC Road Game

Concord Stats – West Virginia State - Live Video – Live Stats - Complete Game Stats
 
ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University women's basketball team heads to the Walker Convocation Center to clash with West Virginia State in a Mountain East Conference contest Tuesday at 2:00 p.m.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
The West Virginia State Sports Information Department will provide live video and statistics for Tuesday's game.
 
LIVE VIDEO
 
LIVE STATS
 
SERIES HISTORY
Concord leads 36-21
 
LAST FIVE MEETINGS AGAINST WEST VIRGINIA STATE
March 2, 2023: Concord 86 – West Virginia State 83 (OT) (Wheeling, W.Va.)
February 22, 2023: Concord 82 – West Virginia State 71 (Athens, W.Va.)
November 22, 2022: West Virginia State 90, Concord 75 (Institute, W.Va.)
February 23, 2022: Concord 101 – West Virginia State 95 (OT) (Institute, W.Va.)
November 23, 2021: Concord 75 – West Virginia State 69 (Athens, W.Va.)
 
CONCORD AT A GLANCE
2023-24 Record: 2-2
MEC Record: 1-0
Home Record: 2-0
Away Record: 0-1
Neutral Record: 0-1
 
NEW SCENERY
Junior guard Skylar Davidson transferred to Concord this season after spending her first two collegiate years at Glenville State. Across her two seasons at GSU, she started 14 games for the Pioneers and scored in double-digits twice. Davidson has started all four games at point guard for CU this season and reached double-digit points in all four games. She posted a season-high of 16 points at Seton Hill to begin the year and grabbed 10 rebounds against Bluefield State for her first collegiate double-double. Davidson currently ranks eighth in the MEC scoring 13.5 points per game.
 
TWIN TOWERS
The duo of graduate forward Alexis Phillips and sophomore forward Abbie Smith have caused problems for opponents in the interior this season. Smith, an All-MEC Second Team selection last winter, has scored in double-digits in three out of four games this season and is third on the team in shooting percentage (44.4 percent). Phillips has been a game wrecker in Concord Head Coach Tesla Southcott's lineup so far this year. She leads the MEC in rebounding (9.0 per game), blocks (2.0 per game.), and a perfect 100 percent at the foul line (12-12). The Mountain Lions have outscored opponents by 15 points over the last two games when Smith and Phillips are on the floor, while being outscored by 4 when the two are not in the lineup together.  
 
KEEP 'EM HONEST
In a superb defensive effort Saturday against Charleston inside the Carter Center, CU held the Golden Eagles to just 44 points. This ties the lowest opponent point total in the Coach Southcott era, as her team also held Clarion to 44 points in her coaching debut last November. Concord held both teams shooting under 35 percent from the field and under 25 percent from three-point range. Also, the Mountain Lions were able to force more than 20 turnovers to fuel their strong defensive effort Saturday. Since Southcott took over, she has coached six games in which Concord allowed fewer than 60 points and is 6-0 in those contests.
 
EXTRA MINUTES
The Concord-West Virginia State series has become a dramatic matchup over the past few seasons. Two of the last four meetings between the Mountain Lions and Yellow Jackets have been decided in overtime. Additionally, five of the last seven contests have been decided by 10 points of less. Concord defeated WVSU in overtime in the Walker Convocation Center 101-95 back on November 23, 2022. Graduate guard Nakaila Gray buried a game-tying three to force overtime against West Virginia State in the MEC Tournament last season. Four free throws by Maggie Guynn in the extra period sealed the victory for CU. The Mountain Lions are 1-0 in overtime this season as they defeated Bluefield State 74-73 in OT on the back of an 18-point comeback.
 
PREVIOUS MATCHUPS
Entering the MEC Conference Tournament as the seven seed last season, Concord upset the number twoseed West Virginia State 86-83 in overtime. Smith recorded her career-high of 29 points in the game, as well as a career-best five blocks. She also grabbed 15 rebounds to notch a double-double. Gray, senior guard Jaisah Smith, and Phillips also notched double-digit points in the game. In the regular season, CU and WVSU split the series 1-1 with the home team being the victor. A. Smith scored in double digits in all three contests against the Yellow Jackets in her freshman season.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
5 – Number of times in the last ten games dating back to last season that Concord held the opponent under 35 percent shooting.
48 – Points in the paint against West Virginia State in last year's MEC Quarterfinal matchup.
52 – Number of points Abbie Smith has scored against WVSU in three career games.
 
WEST VIRGINIA STATE AT A GLANCE
2023-24 Record: 3-1
MEC Record: 1-0
Home Record: 1-0
Away Record: 1-1
Neutral Record: 1-0
 
SCOUTING THE YELLOW JACKETS
WVSU heads into Tuesday's matchup as the top ranked offense in the MEC, scoring 103 points per game. The Yellow Jackets also rank first in the conference in rebounding (57.6 per game) and assists (23.6 per game). Graduate guard Shelby Harmeyer is fifth in the MEC averaging 15.8 points per game and the fourth best long-distance shooter boasting a 40.4 percent three-point shooting percentage. Senior guard ZZ Russell and graduate guard Hannah Shriver share the lead on the team for assists (3.3 per game). Junior forward Emyah Fortenberry is the primary interior defensive force for WVSU, leading the team with 7.3 rebounds per game and shares the team-lead of 0.5 blocks per game.