ELKINS, W.Va. – The Concord University men's basketball team rallied from a double-digit, first-half deficit to take down Davis & Elkins, 78-73, in overtime Sunday afternoon in a Mountain East Conference game at the McDonnell Center.
The Mountain Lions (5-6, 4-3 MEC) trailed for more than 35 minutes in the contest. Down 62-58 with 2:22 remaining in regulation after two Davis & Elkins (5-9, 2-5 MEC) foul shots, Concord scored six straight points. Senior guard
Corey Boston connected on two free throws on CU's next possession.
After a defensive stop, freshman forward
Kraig Gilbert finished off a transition dunk at the 1:38 mark before Boston's bucket gave CU its first lead at the 1:04 mark, since early in the second half.
The Senators tied the game, 64-64, with 38 seconds remaining. Neither team was able to score in its final possession of regulation.
Both teams started slow in overtime, but senior forward
Amare Smith gave Concord a 70-66 lead at the 2:17 mark. D&E answered with a score, however, the next five points belonged to CU. Two more free throws from Boston was followed by a left wing three-pointer by Gilbert as Concord took its largest lead of the game, 75-68.
With Concord up 76-68, D&E scored five quick points. But, Smith closed out the game at the foul line with two makes.
The Mountain Lions found themselves in a 15-3 hole just over four minutes into the game, and spent the rest of the first half chipping away at the deficit that was just two points, 30-28, at halftime.
Concord's second lead in the game came at the 17:45 mark when Smith's layup found the bottom of the net, giving CU a 33-32 edge.
The Maroon and Gray would not lead again until Boston's score, but did not allow D&E to build a lead larger than five in the second half.
Boston threw in a career-best 23 points to go with seven rebounds, four assists and three steals. The Lafayette, Alabama native was 6-for-12 from the floor and 10-of-10 at the foul line. Gilbert netted 13 points, on 5-for-8 shooting, and grabbed eight rebounds.
Smith used a 5-for-6 showing at the foul line in scoring 11 points.
The Mountain Lions were 80 percent at the foul line (20-for-25).
Defensively, CU limited the Senators to 40.6 percent shooting.
The win for head coach
Todd May was the 125th of his career which ties him with Ira Blankenship for third on the all-time wins list at Concord.
The Mountain Lions travel to face nationally-ranked West Liberty 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.
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