Concord Opens Season Against Lock Haven, Seton Hill in MEC-PSAC Challenge

Live Video – Live Stats – Complete Game Notes
 
ATHENS, W.Va.- The Concord University women's basketball team tips off the 2024-25 season against regional foes Lock Haven Friday and Seton Hill Saturday in Lock Haven, Pa. with both games starting at 6:00 p.m.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
The Lock Haven Sports Information Department will provide live video and statistics for both games this weekend.
 
LIVE VIDEO
 
LIVE STATS
 
SERIES HISTORY
Lock Haven: LHU leads 3-2
Seton Hill: SHU leads 6-4
 
LAST FIVE MEETINGS AGAINST LOCK HAVEN
November 11, 2023: Lock Haven 84 – Concord 64 (Greensburg, Pa.)
November 9, 2019: Concord 86 - Lock Haven 60 (Fairmont, W.Va.)
November 9, 2018: Lock Haven 73 - Concord 66 (Fairmont, W.Va.)
November 11, 2017: Concord 73 - Lock Haven 68 (Fairmont, W.Va.)
November 11, 2016: Lock Haven 62 - Concord 53 (Fairmont, W.Va.)
 
LAST FIVE MEETINGS AGAINST SETON HILL
November 10, 2023: Seton Hill 90 – Concord 75 (Greensburg, Pa.)
November 8, 2019: Seton Hill 93 - Concord 82 (Fairmont, W.Va.)
November 10, 2018: Concord 81 - Seton Hill 73 (Fairmont, W.Va.)
February 25, 2013: Seton Hill 78 - Concord 65 (Greensburg, Pa.)
January 26, 2013: Concord 85 - Seton Hill 70 (Greensburg, Pa.)
 
CONCORD AT A GLANCE
2023-24 Record: 17-13
MEC Record: 11-9
Home Record: 9-4
Away Record: 7-7
Neutral Record: 1-2
 
HIT REWIND
The Mountain Lions finished 17-13 and 11-9 against Mountain East Conference competition in the second year under head coach Tesla Southcott. Southcott has led CU to back-to-back MEC Tournament Semifinal appearances, and the 17 wins was tied for the seventh-most wins in a single season in program history. Concord garnered two all-conference performers with Jaisah Smith earning All-MEC First Team recognition and junior forward Abbie Smith being voted to the All-MEC Second Team. The Maroon and Gray also knocked off two ranked opponents last winter, upsetting 13^th-ranked West Virginia State 70-57 on the road and 19^th-ranked Fairmont State 84-66 in the Carter Center.
 
BACK-TO-BACK
A.Smith picked up her second All-MEC Second Team selection in as many seasons and leads returning Mountain Lions in points per game (14.7), rebounds per game (8.5), field goal percentage (53.1), free throw percentage (71.1), and blocks per game (0.7). The Little Hocking, Ohio native ranks third among returning players in the MEC in points per game and is the MEC's leading returning rebounder this winter. A. Smith also earned All-MEC Tournament Team honors for the second-straight season after scoring 30 points in the quarterfinal win over Frostburg State and going 12-12 from the free throw line. Finally, she led the MEC with 13 double-doubles and brings her career total to 21 in the Maroon and Gray.
 
POINT GUARD PRESTIGE
Senior guard Skylar Davidson played and started in all 30 games last winter for CU and returns to guide the Mountain Lions' offense and defense in 2024-25. Offensively, Davidson averaged 9.6 points per game and 4.4 assists per game that ranked second in the MEC. Defensively, the Mullens, W.Va. native was second in the conference swiping 2.7 steals per game. She came away with at least three steals in 16 games including a season-best six steals twice. Although eight Mountain Lions played in all 30 games a season ago, Davidson was the only player to start every game in her first season in Athens.
 
TURN UP THE HEAT
2023-24 was a year of defensive milestones as well for CU, posting the most steals in a single season in program history (378). Last year's squad topped the 369-steal effort of the 1995-96 team for the record. Concord also forced 581 total opponent turnovers and ranked fourth in the MEC and 20^th nationally averaging 21.5 turnovers forced per game. On January 17, the Mountain Lions forced West Liberty into 38 turnovers on the road for the most in a single game since at least the 2011-12 season. CU also forced Emory & Henry into 31 turnovers in a 91-72 home win in December. Five Mountain Lions averaged more than one steal per game with three players getting more than two steals per game.  
 
BACK FOR MORE
CU will open the 2024-25 season against the same two opponents it started the 2023-24 season with in Lock Haven and Seton Hill. This year's games will be played in Lock Haven, Pa. as part of the MEC-PSAC Challenge alongside Fairmont State. CU dropped the opener to Seton Hill 90-75 and lost the following contest 84-64 to Lock Haven. A. Smith scored 15 points in both games against LHU and SHU, logging a double-double with 10 rebounds against Seton Hill. Davidson added a team-best 16 points against the Griffins on 46.1 percent shooting (6-for-13).
 
PLENTY OF NEW FACES
The Maroon and Gray welcome 15 newcomers to this year's roster broken up by 10 transfers and five freshmen. Four transfers previously played at the Division II level in senior guard Faith Diggs (Tusculum), junior forward Imani Hickman (Chowan), sophomore forward Saniya Hymes (Ave Marie), and Sanaiya Morris (Glenville State). Other transfers include sophomore guard Olivia Dement (Muskingham), junior guard Bryah Henry (Chesapeake CC), graduate forward Trina Lewis (Ferrum), graduate forward Gabrielle Nielson (Bluefield University), junior guard Carolynn Washington (Colorado Northwestern CC), and junior guard Kalyn Williams (Columbia CC). The four freshmen include guard Cara Brown (Bluefield, W.Va./Bluefield), guard Amarrah Carter-Bennett (Wytheville, Va./George Wythe), guard Bailey Dement (Zanesville, Ohio/Philo), guard Catherine Farmer (Princeton, W.Va./Pikeview), and forward Amaya Smith (Huntington, W.Va./Huntington).  
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
+7 – Turnover margin over Seton Hill and Lock Haven Last season
15.2 – Offensive rebounds per game last season, ranking third in the MEC and 21^st nationally
82 – Combined points scored in the paint against Seton Hill and Lock Haven last season
 
LOCK HAVEN AT A GLANCE
2023-24 Record: 29-4
PSAC Record: 21-1
Home Record: 15-1
Away Record: 12-2
Neutral Record: 2-1
 
SCOUTING THE BALD EAGLES
Lock Haven is coming off of a historic season, winning 28 games and playing for the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Championship game last season. The Bald Eagles were also picked to finish first in the PSAC East, receiving all eight first place votes. Junior forward Alana Robinson returns as the reigning PSAC Defensive Player of the Year alongside fellow All-PSAC First Team member junior guard Jenadia Jordan and PSAC Freshman of the Year sophomore forward Rhylyn Rouse.
 
SETON HILL AT A GLANCE
2023-24 Record: 14-15
PSAC Record: 11-11
Home Record: 8-7
Away Record: 6-8
Neutral Record: 0-0
 
SCOUTING THE GRIFFINS
Seton Hill returns junior guard Helene Cowan and graduate guard Christiane Frye who scored 21 and 19 points, respectively, against CU a season ago. Leading rebounder graduate forward Sakeria Haralson also returns after snagging 8.2 rebounds per game in 2023-24. Head coach Maeve Gallagher begins her second season in charge of the Griffins after leading SHU to a PSAC Tournament appearance in her first season with the team.