WHEELING, W.Va. – The Concord University women's basketball team lost 69-60 to Wheeling Monday night in a Mountain East Conference game at the McDonough Center.
Trailing 44-41 with three minutes left in the third quarter, the Mountain Lions (4-4) took their first lead in the game at 45-44 after back-to-back buckets from sophomore guard
Jazz Blankenship. The teams traded scores in the final two minutes of the third quarter, but it was Blankenship's elbow jumper in the closing seconds of the period that gave Concord a 49-48 lead after three.
Neither team could find consistent momentum early in the fourth quarter, but Concord was able to push its lead to 57-54 at the 6:54 mark of the period after senior forward
Riley Fitzwater made a layup. However, Wheeling (5-2) went on an 8-1 run that span nearly four minutes.
Down the stretch of the game, the Cardinals made enough free throws and held CU at bay for the nine-point win.
Wheeling jumped out quick on Concord as it led by as much as 10 points in the first quarter. Though, CU was able to trim the lead to one point two different times in the second period before trailing by three, 34-31, at halftime.
A three-pointer from senior guard
Keely Lundy tied the game at 34-34 25 seconds into the second half. From there, the game remained tight—within two possessions—until the final 40 seconds.
Fitzwater finished with 21 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks. Junior guard
Maggie Guynn notched her first career double-double as she scored 10 points to go with a career-best 14 rebounds. Freshman guard
Maddie Ratcliff came off the bench with eight points.
The Mountain Lions committed a season-low 12 turnovers, but was cooled to 35.4 percent shooting. CU was able to hold Wheeling to 35.3 percent shooting.
Concord has a quick turnaround as it welcomes Alderson Broaddus to the Carter Center 5:00 p.m. Wednesday. Â
Â
