Concord Pushes Home Win Streak to 16 with 74-54 Win over Davis & Elkins

ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University women's basketball team used a strong second half to pull away for its 16^th consecutive home victory in a 74-54 win over Davis & Elkins Saturday afternoon in a Mountain East Conference game at the Carter Center.

The Senators (2-10) shot over 45 percent in the first quarter to grab a 17-15 lead after 10 minutes. Down 19-15 in the early stages of the second period, Concord (6-5) popped off an 11-0 run to lead 26-19, but Davis & Elkins had an answer as it took a 31-30 lead with 2:28 remaining in the first half.

However, freshman guard Jaisah Smith got rolling for three-point range as she canned three triples in a 56-second span, scoring the final nine points of the first half and giving the Mountain Lions a 39-34 halftime advantage.

D&E came out of the locker room and scored six consecutive points to grab a 40-39 lead on the Maroon and Gray. But, Concord locked down the Senators for the remainder of the third quarter as CU ran out to a 53-44 lead after three periods. Over the final eight minutes of the third, Concord held Davis & Elkins to 2-for-9 shooting and forced six turnovers.

Up by nine to start the fourth, the Mountain Lion gradually began to stretch their lead out as the first seven points of the quarter belonged to CU.

After a layup from freshman guard Maddie Ratcliff at the 4:27 mark and another easy two-pointer from senior forward Riley Fitzwater a minute later, Concord led by a game-high 22 points, 68-46, before settling for the 20-point win.

Overall, the Mountain Lions outscored D&E 35-20 in the second half.

Ratcliff tied her career high with 18 points off the bench on 8-for-11 shooting. With a strong second half, Fitzwater collected her 58^th career double-double with 16 points and 15 rebounds. Smith pumped in 14 points on 4-for-5 shooting from three-point range.

Though she scored just two points, junior guard Gracie Robinson handed out six assists and committed no turnovers.

The first six made field goals of the game for the Mountain Lions were three-pointers—from six different players—as CU knocked in 11 triples on the day.

Concord 46.8 percent (29-for-62) from the floor and outrebounded the Senators, 42-30.

The Mountain Lions travel to West Virginia State 5:00 p.m. Wednesday.