West Liberty, W.Va. – The No. 10-ranked West Liberty University men's basketball team suffered a tough 85-77 loss to Concord University on Wednesday night at the ASRC, marking their third defeat in the last four games.

Concord set the tone early, building a double-digit lead in the first half. Although the Hilltoppers clawed their way back, the Mountain Lions maintained a slim 39-36 edge heading into halftime.

West Liberty battled hard in the second half and briefly took their only lead of the game at 65-64 on a hook shot by Finley Woodward with 7:47 left on the clock. However, Concord responded immediately with a 6-0 run, reclaiming the advantage at 70-65. Despite several attempts to close the gap, the Hilltoppers were unable to get closer than three points down the stretch.

Five Hilltoppers scored in double figures, with JJ Harper leading the way with 14 points. Dante Spadafora contributed 11, while Vadim Clanet, Daniel Autrey, and Lanyc Shuler each added 10 points. Kyler D'Augustino the Toppers leading scorer was held to only six points. 

The loss drops West Liberty to 12-3 overall and 6-2 in the Mountain East Conference (MEC), while Concord improves to 6-6 overall and 5-3 in MEC play.

The Hilltoppers will look to bounce back on Saturday when they travel to Glenville State. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m.

Game Summary:

• Concord (6-6, 5-3 MEC): 85

• West Liberty (12-3, 6-2 MEC): 77

• Location: ASRC

• Attendance: 1,074