FAIRMONT, W.Va. – The Concord University women's basketball team erased a double-digit first half deficit as it snuck past Clarion, 72-70, Sunday afternoon at the MEC-PSAC Challenge inside Joe Retton Arena.
Sunday was career win number 300 for head coach
Kenny Osborne
The Mountain Lions (2-0) led just once in the first half, 2-0, as they found themselves down 37-22 with 5:42 left to play in the second quarter and trailed 40-31 at halftime.
Concord outscored Clarion (0-2) in the opening minutes of the third quarter, 15-8, as it trailed 48-46 at the 5:45 mark of the third quarter after sophomore guard
Maddie Ratcliff finished off an old-school three-point play.
However, the Golden Eagles opened up a seven-point lead moments later and took a 58-54 lead to the fourth quarter.
A Ratcliff three-pointer with 7:24 remaining gave Concord its first lead, 61-60, since the early two-point advantage, and a triple by junior guard
Jazz Blankenship on the next possession pushed the lead to four points.
A layup by Clarion whittled the lead back down to 68-67 with 2:47 remaining. After trading misses, junior forward
Alexis Phillips made a layup with 1:43 left giving Concord a three-point edge. Clarion came right back with a three-pointer to knot the game at 70-70.
Once again, neither team could find a late bucket until Blankenship came through with two of her 12 points off the bench with 24 seconds remaining. Needing a defensive stop to seal the win, fifth-year senior forward
Riley Fitzwater blocked a layup as time expired for CU to hang on by two.
Ratcliff tallied a career-high 19 points as 14 of her 19 came after halftime. Senior guard
Gracie Robinson matched Blankenship with 12 of her own points. Phillips just missed her first career double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds. Fitzwater pitched in nine points and 13 rebounds.
Concord held Clarion to 36.8 percent from the floor and 30.5 percent from the field in the second half. CU shot 43.6 percent in the game.
The Mountain Lions host Bluefield State 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Carter Center.
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