Concord Plays Host to MEC Rival Charleston

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

ATHENS, W.Va. - Fresh off a 97-76 win at West Virginia State Wednesday night, the Concord University men's basketball team hosts Charleston inside the Carter Center 4:00 p.m. Saturday in a Mountain East Conference clash.

LIVE COVERAGE
The Concord University Sports Information Department will have live statistics and live video of the game. 

Live Stats
Live Video

SERIES HISTORY: Charleston 106-55

Last Five Meetings vs. Charleston
January 22, 2025: Charleston 87 - Concord 70 (Athens, W.Va.)
November 23, 2024: Charleston 122 - Concord 119 (2OT) (Charleston, W.Va.)
March 15, 2024: #7 Charleston 93 - Concord 55 (California, Pa.)
January 24, 2024: #23 Charleston 78 - Concord 67 (Charleston, W.Va.)
November 18, 2023: Charleston 81 - Concord 74 (Athens, W.Va.)

Concord at a Glance
Overall Record: 3-3
MEC Record: 1-0
Home Record: 2-1
Away Record: 1-1
Neutral Record: 0-1
Last Five: 3-2
Streak: W1

Charleston at a Glance
Overall Record: 4-2
MEC Record: 1-0
Home Record: 2-1
Away Record: 1-1
Neutral Record: 1-0
Last Five: 3-2
Streak: W2

TALE OF THE TAPE: Concord vs. West Virginia State

Concord	Statistical Category	Charleston
3	Wins	4
74.3	Points Per Game	86.0
73.7	Points Allowed Per Game	78.2
41.0	Rebounds Per Game	36.5
10.8	Assists Per Game	19.3
5.0	Blocks Per Game	2.8
4.5	Steals Per Game	6.5
43.4	Field-Goal Percentage	54.0
30.6	Three-Point Percentage	42.0
70.8	Free-Throw Percentage	70.1

Concord Leaders
Points Per Game: Kraig Gilbert (18.7), Boubacar Djigo (14.7), Anfernee Hanna (12.5)
Rebounds Per Game: Boubacar Djigo (15.3), Kraig Gilbert (5.5)
Assists Per Game: Cole Lambert (2.3), Micah Young (2.1)
Blocks Per Game: Kraig Gilbert (1.8), Boubacar Djigo (1.6)
Steals Per Game: Josiah Rickards (1.0)
Field-Goal Leader: Boubacar Djigo (66.7)
Three-Pointers Made: Kraig Gilbert (17)
Free-Throw Leader: Anfernee Hanna (77.4)

Charleston Leaders
Points Per Game: Matthew Shelton (14.7), Thomas Hailey (13.5), Braden Chapman (9.8)
Rebounds Per Game: Thomas Hailey (5.7), Trevor Barrett (4.8)
Assists Per Game: Trevor Barrett (3.8), Hamilton Campbell (3.8)
Blocks Per Game: Matthew Shelton (1.0)
Steals Per Game: Braden Chapman (2.0), Hamilton Campbell (1.2)
Field-Goal Leader: Thomas Hailey (74.5)
Three-Pointers Made: Eli Robertson (12)
Free-Throw Leader: Ben Nicol (92.9)

HOT SHOTS
The Mountain Lions shot 53.7 percent in its win at West Virginia State which was the highest percentage of the season, and the best for CU since last January in a win at nationally-ranked Fairmont State. The efficient display from the field was paced by the duo of junior forward Boubacar Djigo and sophomore forward Kraig Gilbert. Both players were 9-for-11 from the floor as Gilbert rang in four of his six three-point attempts. The 81.8 percent shooting for both players marked the first time the Mountain Lions have had two players shoot at least 80 percent with 10 or more attempts from the field since before the 2011-12 season. Djigo is third in the MEC in field-goal percentage (66.7). Gilbert is fifth (63.1), and he leads the conference in three-point percentage (54.8/17-for-31).

HELPING HANDS
Concord passed out 17 assists in the win at West Virginia State which was a season high. After tallying 23 total assists in the first three games of the year, the Mountain Lions are averaging 14 assists per game in the last three contests. At WVSU, freshman guard Micah Young led CU with five assists. Sophomore guard Josiah Rickards finished one assist shy of his career with four. And in his first action of the season, junior guard Khamani Wertz handed out four assists as well. In the first three games of the season, Concord assisted on just 22 percent of its field-goal makes and collectively shot 39.1 percent in those games. However, over the last three contests, the Maroon and Gray has assisted on 47 percent of its made shots from the field, and is shooting 47.8 percent from the floor since the cold start.

GLASS ATTACK
CU owned the boards at West Virginia State with a 44-31 advantage in rebounding over the Yellow Jackets. Concord tore down a season-high 17 offensive rebounds which it turned into 22 second-change points, tying a season high. Though Djigo dominated the boards with his fourth game of at least 15 rebounds this season—Djigo recorded 20 points and 15 rebounds—Wertz, Young and junior forward Eldon Terry all came off the bench with four rebounds apiece. Djigo enters Saturday leading Division II in rebounds per game (15.3). The Mountain Lions are 3-0 when they outrebound the opposition this season, and since the start of the 2023-24 season Concord is 36-10 when it owns a rebounding edge. Four of the ten losses have come to Charleston.

SECOND UNIT
The Mountain Lion bench had its best game of the season in the victory at West Virginia State. Young poured in a career-high 14 points to complement his solid floor game of five assists, four rebounds and a team-best three steals. Wertz chipped in seven points and four assists, and Terry went for four points, four rebounds and a block in nine minutes of action. The 25 bench points were a season high, and the first time over 20 bench points since last year in a double overtime game at WVSU. Additionally, Wertz and Young were a combined 7-for-7 at the foul line.  The trio of Terry (+6), Wertz (+18) and Young (+22) were a combined +46 at West Virginia State. Young's +22 was second on the team, behind Gilbert's +23.

SNAP THE STREAK
Ahead of Saturday's contest, Concord has lost 11 straight games to Charleston, dating back to CU's win inside Charleston's Wehrle Innovation Center in January 2021. Perhaps the closest the Mountain Lions came to ending the Golden Eagles' winning streak was last year at UC in late November. Charleston escaped with a 122-119 double overtime win. All-American and current Division I player at East Texas A&M Kollin Tolbert poured in 58 points for CU. In his first career start, Rickards had 16 points and five rebounds in 37 minutes of action. Gilbert only scored five points, but had a team-best eight rebound and notched a pair of blocks in 38 minutes in what was also his first career start. Tolbert once again starred in a loss to UC at home last season with 41 points, but a 40-40 halftime tie got away from Concord in an 87-70 loss.

OUR BEST vs. THEIR BEST
The Mountain Lions' defense has been stellar through six games this season. CU has held the last five teams under 80 points. Concord has not held teams under 80 points in six straight since January 2024. The Maroon and Gray comes into Saturday leading the MEC in scoring defense (73.7). Additionally, Concord is third in the conference in field-goal defense (43.1). Meanwhile, Charleston is the most efficient team in the MEC, shooting 54 percent for the season. UC is also fourth in Division II in shooting. The Golden Eagles' 86 points per game is fourth in the conference. Another factor in Saturday's contest will be the battle on the boards. The Mountain Lions have done damage on the offensive glass as their 13.7 offensive rebounds per game rank second in the MEC. Overall, Concord is fourth in the conference in rebounding margin (+2.2). Charleston is first in the MEC in rebounding margin (+6.2).

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
18- Career-high points for junior forward Anfernee Hanna at West Virginia State, 11 of his 18 points came during CU's 16-4 run to open the second half.

47- Combined lead changes (30) and ties (17) in two games between Concord and Charleston last season.

97- Points at WVSU which was the most in a regulation MEC road game since February 2019 at Urbana.

SCOUTING THE GOLDEN EAGLES
Charleston is one of the most balanced teams in the MEC as nine players average at least 6.2 points per game. Matthew Shelton averages 14.7 points per game while WVU Tech transfer Thomas Hailey (13.5 points per game) is the only other Golden Eagle in double figures. Fellow WVU Tech transfer Braden Chapman netted 22 points in Charleston's 94-88 win over Glenville State to open MEC play. UC rains in 12.6 three-pointers per game and shoots 42 percent from three-point distance.  Though giving up 78 points per game, Charleston has limited teams to 41.8 percent shooting this season.