Concord Welcomes Salem for Senior Day as Three-Game Homestand Gets Underway

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

ATHENS, W.Va. - Winners of five straight games, the Concord University men's basketball team starts a three-game home set when it welcomes Salem to the Carter Center 4:00 p.m. Saturday for Senior Day.

LIVE COVERAGE
The Concord University Sports Information Department will have live in-game statistics and live video of Saturday's game. 

Live Stats
Live Video

SERIES HISTORY: Salem leads 45-36

LAST FIVE MEETINGS VERSUS SALEM
November 29, 2023: Concord 72 - Salem 56 (Salem, W.Va.)
January 16, 2023: Salem 84 - Concord 68 (Salem, W.Va.)
December 9, 2018: Concord 93 - Salem 76 (Salem, W.Va.)
January 14, 2010: Concord 67 - Salem 55 (Salem, W.Va.)
February 9, 2009: Concord 90 - Salem 69 (Salem, W.Va.)

CONCORD AT A GLANCE
Overall Record: 15-4
MEC Record: 10-4
Home Record: 6-2
Away Record: 8-2
Neutral Record: 1-0

SENIOR SALUTE
Prior to Saturday's contest, head coach Todd May and the men's basketball program recognizes four seniors: forward Akot Aguer, guard JJ Harper, forward Jevon Laidler and guard Jordan Wooden. Injuries have forced Aguer to the sidelines during his career at CU. Harper suits up in his 48^th career game Saturday. After scoring 10 points in Wednesday's win at Notre Dame, the Gotha, Florida native has now scored in double figures in 35 career games at Concord. Harper was named All-Mountain East Conference Honorable Mention last season, and is averaging 13.7 points per game in his career. Laidler sees the floor for the 79^th time in his career on Saturday. He is coming off a 24-point game at NDC—the third-highest total in his career. Laidler has three career double-doubles and has started 61 career games. The most veteran CU player, Wooden, suits up in his 80^th career game Saturday. Known for his defensive work, Wooden has been in double figures 31 times in his career, and is the active team leader with four double-doubles.

AHEAD OF THE GAME
By winning 87-79 on the road Wednesday night, the Mountain Lions matched their win total from the 2022-23 season when they went 15-15. Concord also collected its eighth road win of the season at Notre Dame—the most road wins in a season since 2018-19 which is also the last time the Maroon and Gray won 20 games. The team from 2018-19 picked up their 15^th win of the season on February 14, 2019. With a win on Saturday, CU would match the best 20-game record in program history since the 2003-04 team started 16-4 before finishing the season 22-7.

FINDING THE FLOW
Through the first 14 games of the season, the Mountain Lions only topped 45 percent shooting four times. However, over the last five games, CU has gone over 45 percent, four times, including hitting on 51.8 percent of its shots in Wednesday's game at Notre Dame. That came after the Maroon and Gray shot 47.5 percent at Bluefield State Monday night. Additionally, for the first time this season Concord has scored 80 or more points in three straight games. Individually, sophomore guard Kollin Tolbert is averaging 16.2 points per game and shooting 48.9 percent from the field the last five games. Harper is netting 12.4 points per game during that stretch and shooting at 46 percent. Laidler is scoring 12 points per game and has hit 58.5 percent of his shots in the last five. All three players are over their season scoring average in the last five games and shooting better than their season percentage.

DYNAMIC DUO
In a tough game at Notre Dame, CU relied on Laidler and Tolbert to combine for 50 of the team's 87 points. Earlier in the season, Laidler went for a career-best 29 points to go with 11 rebounds versus Notre Dame. On Wednesday, he tied his career high with 10 made field goals. Laidler has seven career 20-point games with both this season coming versus NDC. Meanwhile, Tolbert eclipsed his career best in scoring by two points after 26 points against Notre Dame. The 26-point performance was fueled by the Cincinnati, Ohio native going 10-of-10 at the foul line, including making eight in the final 1:08 of the game to help out the eight-point win. The duo became the first set of CU teammates with 20-point games in the same contest since Harper and Ethan Heller last season versus Wheeling when Harper had 30 and Heller added 27 points.

PROVIDING DEPTH
In a 72-56 November win at Salem, the Mountain Lions' bench provided a boost as they combined for 29 points. Junior guard Corey Boston dropped in a career-best 13 points while securing six rebounds in 26 minutes off the bench. Freshman guard Georges Archer supplied 12 more points off the bench as he logged a team-best 28 minutes. Boston's 13 points tied for the team high in scoring with junior forward Amare Smith. The Salem game is one of two times this season that Concord has won a game despite a player not scoring 15 or more points—the other was at Wesleyan in early January.

LOCK EM DOWN
CU surrendered a season-low 56 points in its win at Salem November 29 as it held the Tigers to 32.9 percent shooting—the third lowest of the season defensively for Concord. The Mountain Lions did an excellent job protecting against the three-pointer as they only gave up three triples and held Salem to 15 percent (3-for-20) from beyond the arc. The 56 points that Concord allowed were the fewest since holding Bluefield State to 53 points in December 2016. Concord is 12-1 this season when it holds the opposition under 80 points. Salem is not a potent offense as it only scores 70 points per game and shoots 42.4 percent from the field.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
10- Free throws made by Tolbert at NDC were the most for a Concord player since Daniel Rahama made 12 at Salem last season.

16- Years since Concord hosted Salem, a 68-62 Concord win February 8, 2008.

204- Combined games played by this year's senior class.

SALEM AT A GLANCE
Overall Record: 6-15
Home Record: 4-7
Away Record: 1-8
Neutral Record: 1-0

SCOUTING THE TIGERS
The Tigers Combined games played by this year's senior class. nearly rallied from a 14-point halftime deficit against Glenville State Wednesday, but came up short, 77-74. Ashraf Tchadouwa provided a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds. Tchadouwa scores 10.8 points per game and averages 9.6 rebounds per contest. Salem is balanced with four players in double figures: Ian Hardy (13.2), Jack Garrison (12.6), Kapone Barley (12.4) and Tchadouwa. Garrison has rang in 50 three-pointers this season, but was held to 1-for-6 by Concord at Salem.