ATHENS, W.Va. - The Concord University women's basketball team plays its next-to-last road game of the regular season when it visits West Liberty 2:00 p.m. Saturday in a Mountain East Conference game.
LIVE COVERAGE
The West Liberty Sports Information Department will have live in-game statistics and live video of Saturday's game.Â
Live Stats
Live Video
SERIES HISTORY: West Liberty leads 30-10
LAST FIVE MEETINGS
January 4, 2022: West Liberty 87 - Concord 74 (Athens, W.Va.)
February 12, 2022: Concord 86 - West Liberty 76 (Athens, W.Va.)
January 5, 2022: Concord 88 - West Liberty 81 (West Liberty, W.Va.)
January 20, 2021: Concord 68 - West Liberty 56 (Athens, W.Va.)
February 15, 2020: Concord 79 - West Liberty 68 (West Liberty, W.Va.)
WINNING TIME
After trailing throughout the first three quarters against Wheeling at home, CU turned up the heat and scored 33 points in the fourth quarter to win 75-68 at home Wednesday. Graduate guard
Maggie Guynn and junior guard
Jaisah Smith were crucial for the Mountain Lions in the final 10 minutes. Guynn scored all 15 of her points in the fourth quarter while Smith added nine of her 17 points in the fourth period. For Guynn, she has scored 21 points over the last two games—all in the fourth quarter. She sits 22 points away from 1,500 for her career. The Pearisburg, Virginia native would be the ninth player in program history to reach the milestone. The 33 points scored by CU in the fourth period tied a season high for a single quarter, matching the 33 versus Alderson Broaddus, also in the fourth quarter, January 28.
CALMNESS & CONFIDENCE
The Maroon and Gray was able to secure the win versus Wheeling by going 13-for-15 at the foul line in the fourth quarter and making 75.9 percent for the game (22-for-29). Guynn and freshman forward
Abbie Smith were both 7-for-8 at the foul line. Junior guard
Nakaila Gray hit 3-of-4 at the charity stripe to tie a season high in makes. Guynn is 28-for-30 at the foul line over her last nine games. Meanwhile, A. Smith is sixth in the MEC in free-throw shooting (78.0) while J. Smith is seventh (77.9). Earlier this season, Concord was 71.9 percent (23-for-32) at the charity stripe versus West Liberty. A. Smith and J. Smith combined to go 9-of-11 at the foul line while senior guard
Jazz Blankenship was 4-of-4.
HAVING PATIENCE
For a second consecutive home game, the Mountain Lions were held to single digits in the first quarter. However, CU heated up against Frostburg State last Wednesday as it shot 56.6 percent in the second half in a 77-57 win after only scoring eight points in the first quarter. Concord was limited to four points versus Wheeling before shooting 53.4 percent in the final three quarters. Until Guynn and J. Smith found their stroke from the field, junior guard
Maddie Ratcliff scored 11 of her season-best 16 points in the first three quarters against the Cardinals. Â After getting down by as much as 16 points in the first quarter against West Liberty in January, CU came all the way back to only trail by one entering the fourth quarter before WLU won 87-74.
INSIDE PRESENCE
Concord and West Liberty mirror each other in terms of wanting to play from the paint to the perimeter. A. Smith has imposed her will in her first year of college basketball as she is second among MEC freshmen in both scoring (12.9) and rebounding (7.6). Smith is eighth in the MEC in boards per game. For West Liberty, Arriana Manzay has been steady throughout the season by ranking second in the conference in scoring (19.1) and third in rebounding (9.9). A. Smith and Manzay are first and second in the league in field-goal percentage with Manzay shooting 66.7 percent and Smith making 56.7 percent of her shots. Manzay was limited to eight points and four rebounds at CU in January. A. Smith went for 10 points and 10 rebounds.
CREATING SECOND CHANCES
The Mountain Lions scored a season-best 25 second-chance points versus West Liberty January 4 after plucking down 27 offensive rebounds, also a season high. Seven of the eight rebounds for Gray were on the offensive glass. A. Smith had six of her 10 rebounds on the offensive end, and graduate forward
Alexis Phillips added five more offensive boards as part of her nine. CU is third in the MEC in offensive rebounding (14.0 per game). Meanwhile, West Liberty is tied for the conference lead in defensive rebounds per game as it grabs 29.1 per contest. Both teams have similar rebounding margins with Concord sitting second in the MEC (+3.9) while WLU is fourth (+2.3). The Mountain Lions outrebounded West Liberty 50-43 five weeks ago.
ROAD WARRIORS
For the first time in program history, the Maroon and Gray attempts to win four consecutive games at West Liberty. CU leaned on All-American
Riley Fitzwater for 31 points in an 88-81 win last season at WLU. Blankenship and Phillips each scored 12 pivotal points while Guynn netted 10. Current Concord assistant coach
Madison Heller went for 38 points in a February 2020 83-71 win at West Liberty. Guynn pitched in 12 points. And in January 2019, the Mountain Lions outgunned West Liberty 94-84 on the road. Guynn netted nine points in that particular win. West Liberty is 7-3 at home this season with two of the three losses coming to nationally-ranked Ashland and Glenville State.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
5- Points that Concord held Wheeling forward Lauren Calhoun to Wednesday night.
9- Total minutes led by Concord in the victory over Wheeling.
19- Points off turnovers for CU versus West Liberty in addition to the 25 second-chance points.
WEST LIBERTY AT A GLANCE
Overall Record: 14-9
MEC Record: 12-5
Home Record: 7-3
Away Record: 6-5
Neutral Record: 1-1
SCOUTING THE HILLTOPPERS
West Liberty had a four-game win streaking snapped with an 86-61 road loss to Glenville State Wednesday. Along with Manzay, Karly McCutcheon is one of the most efficient players in the MEC as she shoots 50.5 percent from the floor and 43.2 percent from three-point range. McCutcheon's 17.3 points per game are seventh in the league. Grace Faulk hit six three-pointers and scored 21 points versus Total minutes led by Concord in the victory over Wheeling. Concord in January. Sonia Sarda added 15 points in 13 minutes off the bench. WLU's 79.3 points per game are third in the MEC.
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