Concord Welcomes Nationally-Ranked Fairmont State

Concord Stats – Fairmont State Stats – Live Video – Live Stats – Complete Game Notes
 
ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University women's basketball team aims to even the season series when 19^th-ranked Fairmont State visits the Carter Center Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. for a Mountain East Conference matchup.   
 
LIVE COVERAGE
The Concord University Sports Information Department will provide live video and statistics for Wednesday's game.
 
LIVE VIDEO
 
LIVE STATS
 
SERIES HISTORY
Fairmont State leads 26-16
 
LAST FIVE MEETINGS AGAINST FAIRMONT STATE
January 5, 2024: Fairmont State 70 – Concord 63 (Fairmont, W.Va.)
February 4, 2023: Fairmont State 87 – Concord 71 (Fairmont, W.Va.)
December 6, 2022: Fairmont State 78 – Concord 69 (Athens, W.Va.)
February 5, 2022: Concord 89 – Fairmont State 81 (Athens, W.Va.)
December 8, 2021: Fairmont State 93 – Concord 84 (Fairmont, W.Va.)
 
CONCORD AT A GLANCE
2023-24 Record: 9-8
MEC Record: 6-5
Home Record: 5-3
Away Record:  4-4
Neutral Record:  0-1
 
FEELIN' IT
Over its last two games, CU has upped the ante when it comes to shooting percentage. In Wednesday's win at Charleston, the Mountain Lions shot above 43 percent in all four quarters, finishing 28-for-59 (47.5 percent) in the game, its best mark of the season. It was the best shooting performance since the Maroon and Gray shot 48.1 percent from the field in the opening round of the MEC Tournament against Notre Dame last year. Then, against Glenville State on Saturday, Concord shot 47.8 percent from the floor on 33-of 69 shooting. Senior guard Abbie Smith was an efficient 7-for-11 (63.6 percent) against Charleston and 8-for-12 (66.7 percent) against GSU. The last time CU had back-to-back season-high shooting performances was December 2018.  
 
REMATCH AT THE POINT
On Wednesday, the rematch of two of the MEC's top point guards when CU junior guard Skylar Davidson meets FSU senior guard Madeline Huffman will be on display. The two sit stop the MEC in assists per game with Huffman dishing out a league-best 4.9 assists per game and Davidson following with 4.4 assists per game. They are the only players in the MEC to average over four assists per game and both fall inside the top-50 in the country. Additionally, Huffman is shooting 42.2 percent from three-point range and is averaging 8.1 points per game. Davidson is the third leading scorer for CU, averaging 8.8 points per game and is third in the MEC in steals per game (2.9). When they faced off earlier this January, Davidson finished with six points, six rebounds, and three assists, while Huffman scored seven points, dished out five assists, and came away with three steals.
 
DOUBLE 'EM UP
During her All-MEC freshman season, Smith recorded nine double-doubles and helped CU reach the MEC Tournament Semifinals. In the quarterfinal game against West Virginia State, Smith recorded a career-high 29 points and snagged 15 rebounds. She picked up right where she left off a year ago, already netting eight double-doubles in 17 games played in her sophomore campaign. She currently ranks eighth in the league in scoring (14.2 points per game) and second in rebounding (8.5 rebounds per game). Additionally, she is tied for 22^nd in Division II in offensive rebounds per game (3.9). Most recently, she used an 8-for-12 shooting performance to score 18 points and grabbed 15 rebounds against Glenville State Saturday. Smith picked up a double-double against Fairmont State earlier this season, as she went for 16 points and 11 rebounds. She is first in the conference in double-doubles this season and is seventh in the nation.
 
POINTS APLENTY
Five of the MEC's top-12 leading scorers will be on display in the Carter Center Wednesday evening. The Fighting Falcons own the third best scoring offense in the league scoring 78.3 points per game, while the Mountain Lions are scoring 73.0 points per game and fifth in the conference. Senior guard Alyssa DeAngelo is Division II's seventh leading scorer, scoring 20.1 points per game also placing her at second in the MEC. They also bestow the 11^th and 12^th leading scorers in graduate guard Katy Darnell (13.7 points per game) and senior forward Jalen Gibbs (13.6 points per game), respectively. CU touts the seventh and eighth leading scorers in the league in senior guard Jaisah Smith (15.4 points per game) and A. Smith (14.2 points per game). When the two teams met earlier this month, DeAngelo (22), Gibbs (12), J. Smith (19), and A. Smith (16) all scored in double figures.
 
SHOOTERS GONNA SHOOT
CU has knocked down 16 triples over its last three games and shooting 40 percent to get there (16-for-41). Freshman guard Ana Young has contributed two three pointers in all three of those games, while knocking down 6-of-her-last-6 three-pointers attempted. Graduate guard Nakaila Gray leads the Mountain Lions in made three-pointers (18) and three-point shooting percentage (39.1 percent). Graduate guard Jazz Blankenship is 10^th in program history in made three-point baskets (125) and has added five three pointers her the last five games on 45.4 percent shooting (5-for-11).
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
2 – Graduate forward Alexis Phillips is two rebounds away from grabbing 500 in her career     
10 – Number of lead changes in Saturday's meeting with Glenville State
88.8 – Combined free throw percentage when Concord and Fairmont State earlier this season (32-for-36)
 
FAIRMONT STATE AT A GLANCE
2023-24 Record: 15-3
MEC Record: 9-2
Home Record: 8-0
Away Record:  6-3
Neutral Record: 1-0
 
SCOUTING THE FIGHTING FALCONS
Fairmont State enters the game nationally-ranked and tied for first in the league. The Fighting Falcons have turned up their defensive intensity, forcing 43 steals in the last three games, scoring 72 points off turnovers in that span. Darnell is now second in the MEC in steals per game at 3.1. When CU met FSU at Joe Retton Arena, DeAngelo led Fairmont State with 22 points. Gibbs and junior guard/forward Aaliyah Brunny netted 12 points each.