Concord Squares Off with Wheeling in Road Tilt

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

ATHENS, W.Va. - The Concord University men's basketball team looks to rebound from a tough home loss to Davis & Elkins when the Mountain Lions travel to Wheeling for a Mountain East Conference game 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the McDonough Center.

LIVE COVERAGE
The Wheeling Sports Information Department will have live statistics and live video of Wednesday night's matchup. 

Live Stats
Live Video

SERIES HISTORY: Wheeling leads 34-25

Last Five Meetings vs. Wheeling
February 19, 2025: Concord 93 - Wheeling 84 (Wheeling, W.Va.)
January 18, 2025: Concord 105 - Wheeling 76 (Athens, W.Va.)
February 21, 2024: Concord 98 - Wheeling 70 (Athens, W.Va.)
January 20, 2024: Concord 94 - Wheeling 88 (Wheeling, W.Va.)
February 8, 2023: Concord 101 - Wheeling 98 (Athens, W.Va.)

Concord at a Glance
Overall Record: 9-4
MEC Record: 6-1
Home Record: 5-2
Away Record: 4-1
Neutral Record: 0-1
Last Five: 4-1
Streak: L1
MEC Rank: First

Wheeling at a Glance
Overall Record: 9-4
MEC Record: 5-2
Home Record: 5-1
Away Record: 3-2
Neutral Record: 1-1
Last Five: 4-1
Streak: W1
MEC Rank: Fourth

TALE OF THE TAPE: Concord vs. Wheeling

Concord	Statistical Category	Wheeling
9	Wins	9
83.0	Points Per Game	85.4
74.8	Points Allowed Per Game	80.8
40.6	Rebounds Per Game	36.7
14.9	Assists Per Game	15.0
4.9	Blocks Per Game	4.3
5.5	Steals Per Game	9.6
45.7	Field-Goal Percentage	45.1
37.4	Three-Point Percentage	33.2
76.2	Free-Throw Percentage	73.1

Concord Leaders
Points Per Game: Kraig Gilbert (17.4), Boubacar Djigo (15.5), Anfernee Hanna (15.5)
Rebounds Per Game: Boubacar Djigo (13.0), Kraig Gilbert (5.2)
Assists Per Game: Josiah Rickards (2.3), Micah Young (2.1)
Blocks Per Game: Kraig Gilbert (1.8), Boubacar Djigo (1.3)
Steals Per Game: Josiah Rickards (0.8), Micah Young (0.8)
Field-Goal Leader: Boubacar Djigo (61.7)
Three-Pointers Made: Kraig Gilbert (36)
Free-Throw Percentage: Anfernee Hanna (82.6)

Wheeling Leaders
Point Per Game: Ayden Goll (17.8), Caleb Murray (13.2), Tee Harris (11.6)
Rebounds Per Game: Tee Harris (5.7), Alex Smith (5.5) Curtis Harrison (5.1)
Assists Per Game: Ayden Goll (4.4), Alex Smith (4.3)
Blocks Per Game: Tee Harris (2.0)
Steals Per Game: Alex Smith (1.8), Ayden Goll (1.8), Tee Harris (1.8)
Field-Goal Leader: Ayden Goll (40.5)
Three-Pointers Made: Caleb Murray (32)
Free-Throw Percentage: Ayden Goll (90.4)

SCORING GALORE
In the 85-83 defeat to Davis & Elkins, CU received a pair of career games from junior forward Anfernee Hanna and freshman guard Micah Young. Hanna became the first Mountain Lion to score 30 or more points this season, and the Nassau, Bahamas native did so efficiently. Hanna netted 32 points on 10-for-12 shooting. He buried all three of his three-point attempts and finished 9-for-11 at the foul line. With the performance, Hanna vaulted up to a tie for 11^th in the MEC in scoring, with teammate and fellow junior forward Boubacar Djigo, at 15.5 points per game. For Young, he came off the bench with a career-best 19 points in a career-high 29 minutes played. He finished 7-of-14 from the floor. Saturday's performance bucked a three-game stretch where Young was just 7-for-23 from the field. And for Hanna, he netted a 30-point game as CU's third-leading scorer.

POINT MAN
Junior guard Khamani Wertz continued his steady play at the point guard position for Concord against Davis & Elkins. Even though Wertz is only averaging 5.3 points per game, he is finding other ways to contribute. In his last four games, the Charlotte, North Carolina native is averaging 5.0 assists per game (20 total assists) while only committing seven turnovers in that same four-game stretch. And on Saturday against Davis & Elkins, Wertz made at least one three-pointer for the sixth consecutive game. Wertz's assist-to-turnover ratio is just under four for the season, 3.9, as he has 31 assists and just eight turnovers in eight games this season. The current leader in assist-to-turnover ratio in the MEC in Point Park's Jaylen Stewart at 3.0. And from his point guard position, Wertz has collected at least three rebounds in four straight games.

THREE-POINT THREATS
Concord only made nine three-pointers against Davis & Elkins—that was after CU had made 10 or more three-pointers in three straight games and four of the last five contests. Seven of Concord's three-pointers came from the trio of sophomore forward Kraig Gilbert, Hanna and Young. Gilbert finished 2-of-5 from three-point distance which was his 12^th game this season with multiple three-pointers. The Grove City, Ohio native leads Division II in three-point percentage for the season (50.7/36-for-71). After starting the season 5-for-21 from three-point distance over the first nine games, Hanna has heated up to go 8-for-11 from beyond the arc in his last four games. And in a limited sample size, Young is 7-for-17 (41.1 percent) on three-pointers in the last six games. CU has shot 40 percent or better on triples as a team in five of the last six games.

KEEP THE TREND
CU enters Wednesday night having won six straight over Wheeling with three wins coming at Wheeling. Those trio of wins have been tightly-contested games. The first half of last year's 93-84 win on the road over the Cardinals featured 12 first-half lead changes before the Mountain Lions pulled away late in the first half. Sophomore guard Josiah Rickards netted 10 point on 4-for-6 shooting. Four of the six games during Concord's winning streak over WU have been by nine points or less, including all three in Wheeling. Another common theme in Concord's streak has been the efficient shooting for the Mountain Lions. In the last four games, the Maroon and Gray has shot 50 percent or better. However, the Cardinals are much improved on defense as they rank fourth in the MEC in scoring defense (80.8) and are fifth in opponent field-goal percentage (45.0).

TURNED AWAY
Two of the best shot-blocking teams in the MEC square off Wednesday night. The Mountain Lions lead the league with 4.9 blocks per game which also ranks in a tie for 13^th in Division II. Wheeling is tied for 36^th in Division II with 4.3 blocks per game which is third best in the MEC. Individually, WU's Tee Harris is first in blocks per game in the MEC (2.0) and his 26 total blocks are second. Gilbert is third in the conference in blocks per game (1.8) while Djigo is fourth (1.3). Junior forward Eldon Terry is just outside the top 10 in blocks per game (0.9). The Mountain Lions have tallied two or more blocks in all 13 games this season. And over the last four games, CU is averaging 5.7 blocks per game. After two blocks versus Davis & Elkins, Gilbert is now tied for eighth in career blocks at Concord with Brian Atkins (2000-04) with 75 rejections.

FRESHMEN FRONT AND CENTER
Two of the best freshmen in the MEC will be of focus Wednesday night in Concord's Young and Wheeling's Ayden Goll. The Wheeling point guard spent last season at Division I Wisconsin-Green Bay, but did not see the floor as a true freshman. During his first season of college, Young has scored in double figures seven times as Concord is 5-2 in those games. He is averaging 19.2 minutes per game and 10.3 points per contest. In five true road games this season, Young's scoring has remained steady at 9.2 points per game. Goll has made an impact for the Cardinals as their leading scorer (17.8) and top assist man (4.4). Goll is third in the MEC in scoring and second in assists. He is also third in free-throw shooting (90.4), having taken the third-most foul shots in the MEC (75-for-83).  

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
10- Hanna became the 10^th player under head coach Todd May to record a 30-point game at Concord.

13- Djigo has recorded at least two offensive rebounds in all 13 games this season.

50- In each of its last two wins at Wheeling, Concord has tallied at least 50 points in the paint, including 54 last year.

SCOUTING THE CARDINALS
Wheeling is two wins away from matching its overall win total from last season, and the next victory for the Cardinals in MEC play will equal the six wins they had last season. WU has been a tough out at home as it is 5-1 inside the McDonough Center this winter. Goll is complemented by Caleb Murray (13.2) and Harris (11.6) who both score in double figures. Veteran forward Alex Smith does a little bit of everything for Wheeling with 8.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.8 steals per game. The Cardinals are 3-1 in games decided by six points or less, including wins over California (Pa.) and Charleston.