McGrew scores 36 but Bobcats drop ninth straight after losing 88-80 at home to Concord

BUCKHANNON, W.Va.– Braeden McGrew set a new career-high scoring 36 points for the West Virginia Wesleyan (2-23, 1-18) men’s basketball team on Wednesday. McGrew’s career day was not enough to upend the Concord Mountain Lions (12-13, 9-10) inside Rockefeller Center. The Mountain Lions took the contest 88-80.
 
Leaders for WVWC
The Bobcats shot 47.8% from behind the arc (11-for-23), with six from McGrew. McGrew shot 6-for-13 from behind the arc and made 15 field goals en route to his 36 points. The most by a Bobcat since 2015 when Tanner McGrew scored 46 points against Urbana.
 
Leaders for Concord
The Mountain Lions utilized clutch three-point shooting all evening, making 13 triples and shooting 54.2% from behind the arc (13-for-24). The Moutain Lions were led by Jordan Wooden’s 23 points on 8-15 shooting. Lual Rahama added 21 of his own and brought down eight rebounds.
 
Inside the First Half
McGrew opened up the scoring for the Orange & Black with a pair of baskets in the paint. After a couple of empty possessions, the ‘Cats found themselves trailing by nine points with 15:56 to play in the first half. Anthony Craven Jr. got the Bobcats back on track, hitting a floater in the lane over the Concord defender, making it a 13-6 game.
 
The Mountain Lions expanded their lead to 14 at the 12:26 mark, but Craven Jr. again stopped the scoring run converting a layup with 12:09 left. After Daunte Gardner made a pair of free throws, Tommie Pope found himself open on the right wing and drained a triple to bring it within seven points. WVWC would get as close as five points after going on a 9-3 scoring run capped off by a McGrew layup off a Pope assist. However, Concord would take a 39-29 lead into the locker room.
 
Inside the Second Half
The Bobcats came out of the locker room on a mission going on an 8-0 with McGrew hitting back-to-back threes to make it a 39-37 game just a 1:40 into the half. Concord responded with an 8-0 run of their own to increase their lead back to 10 with 16:12 remaining. Concord maintained the 10 point lead with 14:59 remaining before Ike Dove and McGrew scored the team’s next seven points to cut it to within three.
 
The Mountain Lions silenced the rowdy fans inside the Rockefeller Center, hitting threes on consecutive possessions to push their lead to nine points. McGrew responded with a deep three to make it 57-51 with 11:34 to play. With 6:33 to play, Craven Jr. stripped the Concord ball-handler in the backcourt and put the fans on their feet, throwing down a thunderous dunk to make it a 62-59 game. After a made free throw from the Mountain Lions, McGrew dribbled the ball up the court, stopped, pulled up from 30 feet, and sunk another triple on his way to 28 second half points. The Mountain Lions were able to hit clutch free throws down the stretch to preserve their lead the remainder of the game, taking to contest 88-80.
 
Up Next
WVWC travel to Glenville State on Saturday to face off against the Pioneers. The Bobcats claimed their lone MEC win against the Pioneers back on January 15th.