Concord Prepares for Pivotal Home Game Against Wheeling

Concord Stats - Wheeling Stats - Live Video - Live Stats - Complete Game Notes

ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University women's basketball team defends its three-game winning streak in front of a home crowd at the Carter Center, facing Wheeling in a game that holds crucial implications for Mountain East Conference Standings Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
The Concord University Sports Information Department will provide live video and statistics for Wednesday's contest.
 
LIVE VIDEO
 
LIVE STATS
 
SERIES HISTORY
Wheeling leads 30-12
 
LAST FIVE MEETINGS AGAINST WHEELING
January 20, 2024: Wheeling 73 – Concord 64 (Wheeling, W.Va.)
February 8, 2023: Concord 75 – Wheeling 68 (Athens, W.Va.)
January 7, 2023: Wheeling 93 – Concord 52 (Wheeling, W.Va.)
February 9, 2022: Wheeling 77 – Concord 72 (Wheeling, W.Va.)
January 8, 2022: Concord 83 – Wheeling 66 (Athens, W.Va.)
 
CONCORD AT A GLANCE
2023-24 Record: 14-10
MEC Record:  9-7
Home Record: 8-3
Away Record: 6-6
Neutral Record: 0-1
 
HEAD OF THE PRESS
In back-to-back games, graduate guard Nakaila Gray has poked loose six steals. She has recorded her career-high of six steals three different times this season. Of the 12 steals in her past two outings, Gray has spread out her defensive pressure evenly: four steals have come in the first quarter, three steals have come in the second and third quarters, and two steals have come in the fourth quarter. In the seven straight games that CU has recorded double-digit steals, Gray leads the charge with a total of 29 takeaways and led the Mountain Lions in that column in four of those games. She has logged multiple steals in 11 straight contests, including two steals against Wheeling at the McDonough Center. Gray has moved herself into the top five in the MEC in steals per game (2.8)
 
VETERAN PRESENCE
Heading into Wednesday's game against Wheeling, graduate guard Jazz Blankenship eyes her 132^nd career game donning the Maroon and Gray. If she appears in Wednesday's contest, Blankenship will tie her former teammate Riley Fitzwater (2017-22) for second all-time in program history for games played. She also has the opportunity to pass another former teammate, Maggie Guynn (2018-2023), for the most games ever played for Concord women's basketball set at 134. In her career, Blankenship has scored 703 points and hit the 10^th most three-pointers in program history at 130. Graduate forward Alexis Phillips also has the chance to move up the ranks, as she is currently tied for eighth at 113 games played. On Saturday, Phillips set a new career-high as she scored 21 points with help from the free throw line, where she was a perfect 10-10.
 
SHUT 'EM DOWN
Two of the MEC's top defenses will be on display at the Carter Center Wednesday evening. Wheeling enters as the league's best field goal defense, holding teams to just 36.4 percent from the field and 28.9 percent from three-point range. WU owns the fifth-best turnover ratio (+1.92) in the conference while Concord is fourth with a +3.33 turnover ratio. The Mountain Lions possess the fourth-best opponent field goal percentage (41.2 percent) in the MEC and is allowing opponents to shoot just over 30 percent (30.3) from behind the three-point line. When Concord faced the Cardinals earlier this season, Wheeling held CU to 35.6 percent from the field and turned the Mountain Lions over 23 times.
 
BLOCK BATTLE
Whenever WU and CU meet on the hardwood, there are plenty of blocks to go around. Dating back to the 2020-21 season, there have been 62 blocks across seven games, an average of 8.8 blocks per game. The Mountain Lions are responsible for 37 of the 62 blocks in the series. Earlier this season, Wheeling notched a season-high nine blocks against Concord, while the Mountain Lions swatted four blocks. As a team, Wheeling is third in the MEC, averaging 3.0 blocks per game with CU tailing them at 2.88 blocks per game. Graduate forward Jacqui Hinesman has shifted into third in the league in blocks for Wheeling as she has recorded a block in 10 straight games and multiple blocks in five of those games.
 
WHAT'S AT STAKE
Concord's three-game win streak has put the Mountain Lions in a position to make a move in the MEC standings as March looms near. After losing two straight conference matchups, CU won its last two conference meetings to tie itself with Glenville State for sixth within the league. On the other hand, Wheeling has lost two straight conference matchups to create a three-way tie for the third-best league record with Charleston and West Virginia State. With just four games remaining in the regular season, three games are all that separate the top seven teams in the league. To close out the season, the Mountain Lions face two teams that are one game ahead of them in the standings (Wheeling and West Virginia State), Glenville State, and West Liberty
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
9 – Different players have logged multiple steals in CU's last seven games
26.0 – Bench points per game during CU's three-game win streak
50 – Points scored in the second half of Saturday's come-from-behind road win at Davis & Elkins
 
WHEELING AT A GLANCE
2023-24 Record: 16-8
MEC Record: 11-6
Home Record: 9-4
Away Record: 7-4
Neutral Record: 0-0
 
SCOUTING THE CARDINALS
Wheeling enters Wednesday's contest amid a two-game losing skid. On their home court against CU back in January, the Cardinals had five players score in double figures. Sophomore guard Graci Fairman led the charge with 18 points, as well as junior guard Briarley Rogers with 14 points. Both Fairman and Rogers knocked down two three-point baskets. Junior guard Shamia Strayhorn netted 12 points and five steals. The home team has won in every meeting between the Cardinals and Mountain Lions dating back to 2018-19, while Wheeling has not won in the Carter Center since February of 2017.