Concord Stats -
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Complete Game Notes
ATHENS, W.Va. - After a thrilling 101-98 overtime win over Wheeling Wednesday, the Concord University men's basketball team turns its attention to a Mountain East Conference road game against nationally-ranked West Liberty 4:00 p.m. Saturday.
LIVE COVERAGE
The West Liberty Sports Information Department will have live in-game statistics and live streaming video of Saturday's contest.Â
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SERIES HISTORY: West Liberty lead 40-24
LAST FIVE MEETINGS
January 4, 2023: #9 West Liberty 113 - Concord 97 (Athens, W.Va.)
February 12, 2022: #4 West Liberty 107 - Concord 86 (Athens, W.Va.)
January 5, 2022: #8 West Liberty 85 - Concord 67 (West Liberty, W.Va.)
March 5, 2021: #19 West Liberty 102 - Concord 68 (Wheeling, W.Va.)
January 20, 2021: Concord 91 - #4 West Liberty 83 (Athens, W.Va.)
CONCORD AT A GLANCE
Overall Record: 12-10
MEC Record: 9-8
Home Record: 5-3
Away Record: 7-6
Neutral Record: 0-1
THE CLOSER
Senior guard
Ethan Heller was crucial in the final few minutes of regulation and overtime as he scored or assisted on Concord's final 21 points. The Thornville, Ohio native tallied 12 of his season-best 27 points in overtime as he recorded CU's first points of the extra session and assisted on a go-ahead three-pointer before hitting back-to-back three-pointers to take the Concord lead to 97-90. Additionally, he assisted on a game-tying three-pointer in regulation to help send the game to overtime. Heller dished out a season-best seven assists which were his most since he had eight in a road win at West Virginia State two seasons ago. With a season-high tying five three-pointers, Heller also moved to within five three-pointers of tying Rob Reed for ninth on the career list at Concord with 187.
TRIFECTA
By Heller scoring 27 points, junior guard
JJ Harper netting a career-best 30 points and senior forward
Jevon Laidler tying his season high in points with 20, it marked the second time in the last four games that Concord had three or more players go over 20 points. Harper's career night was the most for a CU player this season and tied for sixth most in a MEC game in 2022-23. The Gotha, Florida native threw in 20 of his 30 points in the first half as he became the second active Concord player with a 30-point game after Heller's 33 points at West Virginia State in February 2021. The trio combined to go 28-for-52 from the floor (53.4 percent) and made 10 of Concord's 11 three-pointers in the contest. Two weeks ago against Alderson Broaddus, Heller (25), Harper (21) and graduate guard
Lual Daniel Rahama (20) all went over 20 points.
ON THE BOARDS
Even though Concord was outrebounded by three, 49-46, against Wheeling, the Mountain Lions leaned heavily on three players to do the work on the boards. Rahama went for 10 or more boards for the 10
th time this season as he grabbed 11 versus Wheeling. Sophomore forward
Amare Smith finished one shy of his career high with a season-best 10 rebounds and fifth-year senior
Da'Vion Moore tied a season-high with nine rebounds. It marked the second time in as many seasons that Concord had three players combine for 30 or more rebounds after Moore (12), sophomore guard
Jordan Wooden (11) and Rahama (nine) combined for 32 at Bluefield State. Rahama continues to lead the MEC in rebounding with 10.2 per game, ranking ninth in Division II.
FROM DOWNTOWN
Paced by Harper, Heller and Laidler, Concord made double-digit three-pointers for the fourth time in five games despite a slow start from three-point range versus the Cardinals—just 3-of-12 in the first half. CU needed just 18 attempts to make eight three-pointers in the second half and overtime. With the late showing from beyond the arc, the Mountain Lions have now made 50 triples over the last five games. While the Maroon and Gray only ranks 10
th in the MEC in three-pointers this season, CU focuses on slowing down West Liberty after the Hilltoppers made 16 three-pointers at Concord in January. WLU makes 12.6 three-pointers per game, tops in Division II. Christian Montague and Zach Rasile both make over two triples per game.
BALANCED ATTACK
In the 113-97 loss to West Liberty January 4, the Mountain Lions had seven players finish in double figures. Laidler led the way with 20 points which was a season high before he matched it with his outing Wednesday night. Heller went for 18 points on an efficient 7-for-10 shooting. Rahama had one of his nine double-doubles for the season with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Smith netted 11 points while Harper, Moore and Wooden all had 10 points. It marked the first time in three seasons that Concord had more than five players in double figures. In three career games against West Liberty, Rahama is averaging 15 points per contest.
PAINT PRESENCE
Concord shot 54.5 percent from the floor and scored a season-best 56 points in the paint versus West Liberty. The 36 field goals made by CU were also a season-high. Not only did the Mountain Lions affect the game in the paint on the offensive end, but the Maroon and Gray also had a +15 rebounding margin (42-27). Besides Rahama's 12 rebounds, Heller finished one shy of his season high with six boards. Laidler and Moore each had five rebounds. On Wednesday night, the Mountain Lions also went over 100 blocks for the season—the eighth team in program history to do so. CU is coming off a game with nine blocks, including three from Laidler—the MEC's third-leading shot blocker (1.3). However, CU was shut out from getting a block versus West Liberty in January.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
6- Concord only led for 6:13 of the game versus Wheeling.
26.7- Offensive rebounds that Concord (14) and West Liberty (12.7) combine for per game.
28- CU's second-half comeback versus Wheeling was keyed by holding WU to 28 percent shooting in the second half.
WEST LIBERTY AT A GLANCE
Overall Record: 20-3
MEC Record: 15-2
Home Record: 11-0
Away Record: 8-2
Neutral Record: 1-1
SCOUTING THE HILLTOPPERS
In West Liberty's three-point barrage at Concord, seven different Hilltoppers made a three-pointer. Bryce Butler, the prohibited favorite for MEC Player of the Year, scored 21 points and collected nine rebounds versus CU. West Liberty's 99 points per game are second in Division II. WLU is 26-1 at home dating back to the start of last season. Along with Butler's MEC-leading 22.8 points per game, Montage (12.2), Malik McKinney (11.9), Steve Cannady (11.1) and Ben Sarson (10.4) all score in double figures. Head coach Ben Howlett is two wins from 150 for his career.
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