ATHENS, W.Va- By using its best offensive output of the season and making shots down the stretch, the Concord University women's basketball team staved off Shepherd University at the Carter Center on Saturday night.
Concord improves to 5-15 overall (3-11 MEC) while Shepherd falls to 5-15 (4-10 MEC).
After Shepherd raced out to a 9-1 lead on the Mountain Lions, the two teams started to trade punches, with neither team having led by more than eight during the first half. Concord then took over the lead that they would never relinquish after sophomore guard
Danielle Catron buried a three-pointer to give Concord a 27-26 lead in the first quarter.
Concord's bench was important in trimming the deficit as senior forward
Kylie Molisee and sophomore guard
Lindsey Overbey each added ten points after entering the game in the first half. Concord's bench also contributed almost half of the Mountain Lion's points in the first half, as Concord headed into the break with a 46-40 advantage.
Concord came out of the locker room into the second half with aplomb as it jumped out on a 12-4 run to garner a 14-point lead with 6:44 remaining in the third quarter. Overbey contributed eight points during the stretch to spark the Mountain Lions' run.
Concord seemed to be in control of the game after junior guard
Olivia Morgan hit a pair of free throws to give Concord an 18-point lead with 40 seconds left in the third quarter. However, the Rams forced Concord into three straight turnovers that they would turn into uncontested layups to give SU momentum heading into the fourth quarter and reduce the deficit to 12.
Shepherd's resiliency paid off as they managed to trim Concord's lead to just one after Cara Mason converted an old-school three-point play and made the corresponding free throw. Morgan would respond with her second three-pointer of the day to halt Shepherd's run and give Concord a much needed basket at the other end.
Shepherd answered right back with Morgan Arden making a three-pointer to make the score 85-84 in favor of the Mountain Lions with just 1:46 remaining in the game. Concord managed to force a stop against Shepherd to prevent them from potentially tying the game or taking the lead with just 27 seconds left. Molisee had several key rebounds during the final 40 seconds and knocked down enough free throws to put the game out of reach 90-86.
The 90 points were the most Concord has scored in a game this season, and the 48.6 percent that Concord shot from the field was the best that the Mountain Lions have shot since they travelled to Urbana on January 12
th. Concord's bench was influential in the team's victory, combining for 43 points overall, and outscoring the Rams 43-20.
Lindsey Overbey poured in a career-high 22 points to lead the Mountain Lions off the bench. Molisee also came off the bench to add to her five double-doubles she has amassed this season with 17 points and 11 rebounds.
Concord had five players in double figures tonight, the first time that has happened since they played Glenville State in a double overtime thriller on March 2
nd, 2012 in the WVIAC Tournament (Camisha Alexander, Holly Bibb, Jolysa Brown, Amanda Smith, and Anna Truckley). Overbey, Molisee, Catron (13 points), junior guard
Alexis Lowery (12 points), and
Olivia Morgan (12 points) all had over ten points for the Mountain Lions tonight.
The Mountain Lions will now travel to Buckhannon to play West Virginia Wesleyan on 7:30 Thursday.
