Concord Jockeys for MEC Tournament Seeding in Finale at Glenville State

Concord Stats – Glenville State Stats – Live Video – Live Stats – Complete Game Notes
 
ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University women's basketball team ends the regular reason with a trip to Glenville State in a Mountain East Conference matchup at the Waco Center Saturday at 2:00 p.m.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
The Glenville State Sports Information Department will provide live video and statistics for Saturday's game.
 
LIVE VIDEO
 
LIVE STATS
 
SERIES HISTORY
Glenville State leads 45-12
 
LAST FIVE MEETINGS AGAINST GLENVILLE STATE
January 27, 2024: Glenville State 94 – Concord 83 (Athens, W.Va.)
February 25, 2023: Glenville State 86 – Concord 81 (Athens, W.Va.)
January 21, 2023: Glenville State 78 – Concord 69 (Glenville, W.Va.)
February 26, 2022: Glenville State 96 – Concord 53 (Glenville, W.Va.)
January 22, 2022: Glenville State 105 – Concord 67 (Athens, W.Va.)
 
MEC SCENERIOS
With a win Saturday, CU will clinch the number six seed in the upcoming MEC Tournament and earn a first-round bye. With a loss Saturday, CU becomes the number seven seed in the league and will play the opening round game of the tournament on Wednesday.
 
CONCORD AT A GLANCE
2023-24 Record: 15-12
MEC Record: 10-9
Home Record: 9-4
Away Record: 6-7
Neutral Record: 0-1
 
RIM REJECTION
Graduate forward Alexis Phillips swatted away a career-best five blocks Wednesday against West Virginia State. Phillips is the Mountain Lions' leading shot blocker this winter (29) and fifth in program history for career blocks (77). The Pulaski, Va. native is fourth in the league averaging 1.1 blocks per game this season. She topped her previous career-high of four blocks set in the season opener at Seton Hill back in November. The last CU player to record five blocks in a game was sophomore forward Abbie Smith last March, also against West Virginia State. Concord is averaging 5.2 blocks per game against the Yellow Jackets dating back to the start of the 2022-23 season.
 
HELPING HAND
Graduate guard Nakaila Gray has been knocking down shots for CU during a crucial stretch of its schedule. The Grottoes, Va. native has scored in double figures in four consecutive games and six times in her last eight games played. Gray has also helped out in many different areas during the stretch, including six rebounds against West Virginia State, six steals and four assists at Davis & Elkins, and multiple three-point baskets in three of the four games. On the season, Gray is averaging 9.3 points per game, 3.9 rebounds per game, 2.6 steals per game, and shooting 38.6 percent from three-point range.
 
WELCOME BACK TO WACO
Junior guard Skylar Davidson and junior guard/forward Deja Atkinson return to the Waco Center for the first time since playing for the Pioneers. For GSU, both Atkinson and Davidson scored in double figures twice, all coming at the Waco Center. Davidson scored her Glenville State career-high of 16 points against Concord at the Waco Center, including a late three-point basket that helped secure a GSU win last January. Against their former team this season, Davidson scored nine points along with three rebounds and two assists. Atkinson totaled seven points, three rebounds, three assists, and one block.
 
REMATCH IN THE PAINT
Saturday's clash at the Waco Center will pit two of the league's top forwards against each other in CU's Smith and Glenville State graduate forward Lauren Calhoun. Both players rank inside the top five in the MEC in rebounds per game and field goal percentage. Smith is grabbing 8.4 boards per game and shooting 51.2 percent from the floor, while Calhoun is grabbing 7.4 rebounds per game and shooting 55.0 percent from the field. When the two met earlier this season in Athens, Smith scored 18 points on 8-for-12 shooting and snagged 15 rebounds. Calhoun also scored 18 points, going 8-for-13 from the free throw line and grabbed six rebounds.
 
PUT THE PRESSURE ON
Alongside the battle of forwards, there will also be a battle between two of the league's best turnover-inducing defenses. Glenville State is first in the conference and the nation in steals per game, coming away with 18.1 steals per game. The Pioneers are also third in the country with an 11.4 turnover margin. Concord is third in the MEC in steals per game (12.8) and 12^th in the country. Combined, CU and GSU make up six of the MEC's top eight leaders in steals per game. Glenville State's senior guard Hya Haywood (3.4) and junior guard Zhordan Shannon (2.9) are first and second, respectively, while Concord's Davidson (2.8) and Gray (2.6) coming in at fourth and sixth in the conference.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
51 – Combined turnovers between GSU and CU in the Carter Center on January 27
108 – CU's scoring margin over opponents in the second half this season  
135 – Career games played for Jazz Blankenship with participation in Saturday's contest, a new program record
 
GLENVILLE STATE AT A GLANCE
2023-24 Record: 18-9
MEC Record: 11-8
Home Record: 7-5
Away Record: 9-4
Neutral Record: 2-0
 
SCOUTING THE PIONEERS
On top of its high-pressure defense, GSU presents the league's top scoring offense, averaging 86.6 points per game. Haywood (17.3) leads the team in scoring and is fourth in the MEC. Calhoun (14.2) and sophomore guard Chalon Miles (11.2) also contribute over 10 points per game. Earlier this season, junior guard Dream Cherry drilled four three-pointers against CU in the Carter Center.