INSTITUTE, W.Va. – A well-balanced scoring effort and stifling defense in the second half powered the Concord University women's basketball team to a 60-59 win over West Virginia State Saturday afternoon at the Walker Convention Center in Mountain East Conference action.
The win snapped a seven-game losing streaking for the Mountain Lions (4-10, 4-6 MEC).
The first half featured five ties and five lead changes with neither team holding a lead bigger than eight. WVSU (5-9, 3-6 MEC) took a one-point lead, 31-30 in the locker room at halftime.
West Virginia State started the second half with momentum as it extended its one-point intermission lead to 40-32 in the first three minutes. The teams virtually traded baskets over the next four and a half minutes with senior forwards
Rachel Artrip,
Jacqueline Kestner and junior forward
Kylie Molisee each recording a basket for CU.
However, the Yellow Jackets increased their lead by one to 47-38 at the 11:34 mark.
Concord scored the next seven points as it kick-started a 17-4 run for the Mountain Lions. In the outburst, Molisee scored six points while Artrip contributed five points including a three-point basket.
When the Mountain Lions took a 53-51 lead with 5:41 left in the game, it was the first time they had led since the late stages of the first half.
At the same time that Concord was scoring on the offensive end, the Mountain Lions prowess on the defensive end was unmatched as they forced four turnovers over a five-minute stretch and limited the Yellow Jackets to one made basket.
After the Maroon and Gray upped its advantage to 60-55 with 2:26 remaining in the game, WVSU battled back to reduce the lead to 60-59 with 38 seconds showing on the clock.
Concord came up on empty on its ensuing offensive possession, but the Mountain Lions stymied West Virginia State as a three-pointer by Alexus Hobbs came up short and Molisee corralled the rebound, securing the win.
Molisee, who was playing for the first time in over a month because of injury, came off the bench to score 13 points and grab seven rebounds. Artrip led the Mountain Lions in scoring with 18 points knocking down four three-pointers.
Freshman guard
Danielle Catron, who made her first career start against WVSU, scored 11 points. Meanwhile, Kestner came up just short of her seventh double-double, leading CU in rebounding with nine and scoring seven points.
Concord held advantages in assists (17-14), as Artrip and sophomore guard
Olivia Morgan each had four, as well as offensive rebounds (9-6), made three-pointers (6-5) and fast break points (8-4).
The Mountain Lions will travel to Bluefield State 5:30 p.m. Monday for its final road game before a five-game home stand. Â Â
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