CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Despite 58 points from junior guard
Kollin Tolbert, the Concord University men's basketball team was unable to defeat Charleston as CU lost 122-119 in double overtime Saturday night in a Mountain East Conference contest at the Wehrle Center.
The Mountain Lions (0-4, 0-1 MEC) went up 89-79 on Charleston (3-2, 1-0 MEC) with 2:52 remaining in regulation, but CU was unable to close out the Golden Eagles as Charleston finished regulation on a 13-3 run. Freshman guard
Josiah Rickards nearly won the game at the end of regulation with a halfcourt shot that clanged off the rim.
Concord made five of its six shots in overtime, but a tip in on a missed shot at the buzzer of the first overtime by UC pushed the game to a second extra session knotted at 108-108.
Tolbert and junior forward
Rene Diop scored the first two CU buckets of double overtime, but Charleston went up 115-112 after a three-pointer at the 2:06 mark. Concord closed to two points three different times, but was unable to tie or take the lead in the second overtime.
Tolbert scored 41 points in regulation and another 17 points in the two overtimes. He played 43 minutes and shot 19-for-27 from the floor and connected on four three-pointers. Tolbert also made 16-of-19 free throws.
The 58 points are the second most in a single game in program history behind Tommy Bolte's 65 points in January 2019, also at Charleston. The 58 points are also the second most in an MEC game all-time.
CU shot 60.7 percent in the first half, but only held a 46-45 lead at halftime.
Other Mountain Lions to finish in double figures included Diop (17), freshman
Josiah Rickards (16) and senior forward
Amare Smith (15). Rickards' 16 points were a career high in 36 minutes of action before he fouled out.
Freshman forward
Kraig Gilbert added five points and a team-best eight rebounds.
The game featured 24 lead changes and 11 ties.
Concord opens up the home season 4:00 p.m. Tuesday versus West Virginia State.
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