Concord drop MEC road game at Fairmont State
Jan. 6—FAIRMONT — The Concord University men's basketball team fell 88-72 at Fairmont State in a Mountain East Conference contest inside Joe Retton Arena Friday afternoon.
The Fighting Falcons (9-3, 3-3 MEC) used a 16-8 run in middle stages of the second half to create separation from Concord (7-2, 4-2 MEC). Neither side was able to find consistent momentum in the final 13 minutes of the first half and the first four minutes of the second half.
With FSU holding a 54-52 edge at the 15:48 mark after a layup from CU senior guard JJ Harper, Fairmont State held Concord to eight points over the next seven minutes as it opened up a 70-60 advantage.
The Mountain Lions got the deficit back to eight points, 73-65, after a three-pointer from junior forward Amare Smith at the 6:32 mark. But, the next five points belonged to FSU as it closed out the 16-point victory.
After falling behind eight points in the early going (11-3), the Mountain Lions recovered as the first 20 minutes featured 11 lead changes and four ties. Over the final 13:21 of the first half, neither team led by more than three points.
Three-pointers on three straight possessions—two coming from Concord—gave CU a 38-37 edge at the 1:51 mark in the first half. Freshman guard Georges Archer made the first triple with senior guard Jordan Wooden connecting on one of his career-high five triples.
After a Fairmont State layup, fifth-year senior forward Jevon Laidler answered with a three-point play with 34 seconds remaining to push the Mountain Lions in front, 41-40, at halftime.
Wooden finished with a career-high tying 23 points on 8-for-11 shooting and a 5-of-7 showing from three-point range. The only other CU player in double figures was sophomore guard Kollin Tolbert who netted 12 points.
Sophomore forward Ayden Ince tallied nine points.
Concord recorded a season-best 10 three-pointers after entering Friday with 40 triples in the previous eight games in 2023-24. CU's 14 assists tied a season high.
The game finished with 14 lead changes.
CU returns to the Carter Center to face Ohio Dominican 7 p.m. Monday in a non-conference tilt.
