Concord Tests Win Streak in Home Matchup with West Virginia State

Concord Stats - West Virginia State Stats - Live Video - Live Stats - Complete Game Notes

ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University women's basketball team puts its three-game winning streak on the line when West Virginia State visits the Carter Center for a Mountain East Conference contest Tuesday at 2:00 p.m.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
The Concord University Sports Information Department will provide live video and statistics for Tuesday's game.
 
LIVE VIDEO
 
LIVE STATS
 
SERIES HISTORY
CU leads 37-23
 
LAST FIVE MEETINGS AGAINST WEST VIRGINIA STATE
March 9, 2024: West Virginia State 73 – Concord 62 (Wheeling, W.Va.)
February 28, 2024: West Virginia State 72 – Concord 63 (Athens, W.Va.)
November 21, 2023: Concord 70 – #13 West Virginia State 57 (Institute, W.Va.)
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.)
 
CONCORD AT A GLANCE
2024-25 Record: 3-2
MEC Record: 1-0
Home Record: 1-0
Away Record: 2-1
Neutral Record: 0-1
 
MAKE IT THREE
Saturday's 85-78 victory over Charleston was a game of three's for CU. It marked the third-straight win over the Golden Eagles for the first time since the 2011-12 season when the Mountain Lions took both games in the regular season followed by a win in the MEC Tournament. Also, Saturday was the third straight win for Concord after starting the season 0-2 and was the second-straight game the Maroon and Gray led from start to finish. Additionally, Concord made over half of its three-pointers in the game during the first quarter. Like the November 20 matchup against Bluefield State, the Mountain Lions rained down multiple three-point baskets to build a generous lead for the rest of the game.
 
MAKE IT RAIN
Four of CU's eight three-pointers against Charleston came from junior forward Imani Hickman, who scored a career-best 21 points in the win. She scored nine-straight Concord points from beyond the three-point line in the first quarter and began the second quarter with a long-range bucket to break her season-high of 13 points in the first half. Through five games, the Huntington, W.Va. native owns the most three-point baskets made (10) on the squad and is shooting a team-high 41.7 percent from beyond the arc among qualified players. She raised her scoring average to 11.2 points per game, good for third on the team.
 
BEGINNING TO TREND
Having completed five games in the regular season, along with a three-game win streak, CU has started to show some trends in its victories. The Mountain Lions have built a significant first half lead in all three games, as well as finishing with a higher shooting percentage than the opponent in two of those three contests. Concord has also used the turnover margin to its advantage, becoming 3-0 this season when taking away more turnovers than the opposition. Finally, in all three victories, the Maroon and Gray have scored at least 84 points and held the opponent at 78 points or less.
 
TAKE IT AWAY
When WVSU enters the Carter Center Tuesday, two of the league's top defenses will be on display. West Virginia State presents the third-best turnover margin (6.5) in the conference while CU trails with the fourth-highest turnover margin (4.2). The Yellow Jackets are forcing the most total turnovers per game in the conference (35.8) and ranks number one in Division II. West Virginia State and Concord make up five out of the top 10 steals leaders in the MEC as well. CU senior guard Skylar Davidson ranks first in the conference swiping 4.6 steals per game and is third nationally. Junior guard Carolynn Washington (2.4) also appears on the list. WVSU places senior guard ZZ Russell (4.5), junior guard Emily Anthony (4.3), and sophomore guard Hallie Bailey (3.3) on the top 10 list among the league.
 
PILING UP POINTS
While they present one of the country's toughest defenses, the Yellow Jackets are also the top scoring offense in the conference. West Virginia State is scoring 90.3 points per game including a 97-95 shootout win in its MEC opener against Glenville State. WVSU owns the largest soring margin (18.8) in the league by 4.4 points and ranks 31st in the country. Also, West Virginia State is only one of two schools to sweep regional opponents on the opening weekend of the season.
 
HEFTY SAMPLE SIZE
Concord and West Virginia State have met each other six times over the past two winters, four times in the regular season and back-to-back years in the MEC Tournament. Both years, the teams split the regular season series 1-1 and the series winner was determined in Wheeling, W.Va. In 2023, CU knocked off WVSU 86-83 in overtime, while the Yellow Jackets prevailed 73-62 in the 2024 tournament. In both seasons, the winner of the first game has gone on to lose the overall series. Junior forward Abbie Smith has scored in double figures in all six career meetings against West Virginia State, including a 29-point performance in the 2023 MEC Tournament.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
4.6 – Three-pointers made in the first quarter per game this season
13 – West Virginia State's national ranking when CU upset the Yellow Jackets on the road last season
20 – Steals against Charleston, a season-high
 
WEST VIRGINIA STATE AT A GLANCE
2024-25 Record: 4-0
MEC Record: 1-0
Home Record: 1-0
Away Record: 1-0
Neutral Record: 2-0
 
SCOUTING THE YELLOW JACKETS
WVSU opened the season with a pair of convincing wins over regional teams West Chester and Shepherd by 28 and 31 points, respectively. Senior guard Shanley Woods ranks seventh in the MEC in points per game (15.3). Senior forward Emyah Fortenberry ranks first in the conference and third nationally hauling in 12.3 rebounds per game while also adding 11.5 points per game. Six Yellow Jackets are averaging more than two steals per game on the nation's top takeaway defense.