BUCKHANNON, W.Va. – Junior guard
Kollin Tolbert rolled in a layup as time expired in overtime, and the Concord University men's basketball team outlasted West Virginia Wesleyan, 89-87, in overtime Wednesday night in a Mountain East Conference contest at the Rockefeller Center.
The Mountain Lions (14-7, 11-4 MEC) held an 87-84 edge with 21 seconds left in overtime after consecutive buckets from Tolbert. However, WVWC (5-16, 2-13 MEC) had an answer with a three-pointer from Alex Mirhosseini to tie the game with 12 seconds remaining.
After a timeout, Concord pushed the ball up the floor, and Tolbert was able to weave through the lane and pushed a shot up that dropped through the basket as time expired.
CU appeared to have the game in hand early in the second half as it opened up a 51-37 lead at the 15:34 mark after a putback from junior forward
Rene Diop. But, Wesleyan tore off a 17-2 run and led 54-53 with just over 11 minutes left.
From there, neither team led by more than five points until senior guard
Corey Boston canned a three-pointer from the top of the key with 3:45 remaining in regulation to push Concord up 75-68. Again, the Bobcats responded as they scored six straight points. A free throw from freshman forward
Kraig Gilbert gave Concord a 76-74 edge with 60 seconds left.
The door was left open for WVWC to drain a three-pointer with 37 seconds remaining as the Mountain Lions needed a foul shot by sophomore forward
Boubacar Djigo, and a defensive stop to force overtime.
Concord came out slow as it started 6-for-20 from the floor, but finished the first half on an 18-4 run, powered by making five of its final six shots to carry a 35-30 lead into halftime.
The strong finish to the first half (11-for-25 overall and 44 percent) carried over to the second half as the Mountain Lions shot 56.2 percent (18-for-32) in the second half and overtime. And for the game, CU was 50.9 percent from the floor.
Tolbert scored 10 of Concord's 12 points in overtime on his way to netting 36 points for the game. He was 12-for-19 from the floor and 12-of-12 at the foul line. He added six rebounds and six assists.
Boston went for 19 points on 5-for-7 shooting as he knocked in three of CU's five three-pointers. He added a career-best nine rebounds. Gilbert tallied 11 points to go with six boards. Seven of Gilbert's points came during Concord's push to end the first half.
The Mountain Lions were 26-for-32 at the foul line.
Concord welcomes Davis & Elkins to the Carter Center for Senior Day 4:00 p.m. Saturday
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