Box Score
BLUEFIELD, W. Va. – The Concord University women's basketball team was unable to find its offensive rhythm in a 59-48 loss against Bluefield State Monday night at the Ned Shott Gymnasium in non-conference competition.
The loss snaps the Mountain Lions' three-game winning streak. Despite the defeat, Concord (7-7) has still won five of its last eight games.
Concord was led by junior forward
Andrea Bertrand, who recorded her team-high fourth double-double of the season off of a 17-point, 11-rebound effort. Bertrand also passed out a Concord-best four assists while playing all 40 minutes.
Junior forward
Jacqueline Kestner was Concord's second player to reach double figures with 11 points to go with four rebounds.
Senior center
Sammi Webster rounded out the Mountain Lions' leading scorers with eight points. Webster also blocked a pair of shots and pulled down eight rebounds, just missing her second double-double in as many games.
For the game, Concord shot just 28.1 percent (16-for-57) from the field and 7.7 percent (1-for-13) from three-point range. CU did own edges over Bluefield State in free throws made (15-11) and rebounds (41-38).
Points came at a premium in the first half as both teams combined to shoot just 29.3 percent (17-for-58) from the field. The lead changed hands five times in the opening period with Bluefield State ultimately coming away with a one-point advantage at 21-20 heading into halftime.
The Mountain Lions opened the second half by evening the game at 27-27 with 15:46 left in regulation thanks in part to five early points by Kestner.
However, the Lady Blues answered back with a decisive 11-0 run over the following five minutes to open up a 38-27 lead that proved to be too much for the struggling Concord offense to overcome.
Concord trimmed the Bluefield State lead down to as little as six points at the 2:28 mark in the half, but would get no closer as BSC connected on six of its final eight free throw attempts to pull away for the 59-48 win.
Reigning Mountain East Conference Player of the Week,
Sissy Wagner came away with a game-high three steals and tied with junior guard
Ashley Brown for second on the team in assists with two each.
Bluefield State, which evened the season-series with Concord at 1-1 with Monday's victory, was led by Shay Gravely who scored a team-high 17 points.
Concord will look to return to its winning ways 5:30 p.m. Thursday at UVa.-Wise in MEC action.
