Athens, W.Va. – The Concord University women's basketball team downed Fairmont State, 89-81, Saturday afternoon in a Mountain East Conference matchup at the Carter Center.
With 6:57 remaining in the game and Fairmont State (11-10, 9-7 MEC) leading 67-65, Concord (15-8, 9-7 MEC) went on an 20-7 run.
The run started by fifth-year senior forward
Riley Fitzwater, junior guard
Ashton Funderburg, and junior forward
Alexis Phillips combining for the first 12 points. Sophomore guard
Jaisah Smith got her own miss and put Concord up 79-73 with 2:29 remaining. CU capped the run by clamping down on Fairmont State and the trio of Fitzwater, Funderburg, and Phillips hit six straight free throws over a 1:02 span in the closing minutes to seal the win.
Concord got down as much as 13 points in the first quarter but rallied over the final 14 minutes of the first half to trim the margin to 34-30 on a Smith layup. FSU took a 37-30 lead into halftime.
Led by a 68.7 percent showing from the floor in the third quarter, Concord went ahead for the first time in the game 43-42 at the 6:22 mark. And led by as much as 10 in the period, 55-45. The Mountain Lions took a 59-58 edge to the fourth quarter as the teams traded buckets over the first seven minutes of the quarter before CU's run.
Concord shot 51.6 percent from the field, including 65 percent or better in the final two quarters, with 48 points coming from inside the painted area.
Fitzwater ended her day with 23 points on 9-of-10 shooting, and 15 rebounds. Smith finished with 19 points and three steals. Phillips had 16 points and four rebounds. Senior guard
Maggie Guynn finished with 11 points. Smith, Funderburg, sophomore guard
Maddie Ratcliff, and junior guard
Jazz Blankenship all had three assists each.
Concord finished with 20 assists on 32 made field goals. The Mountain Lions also shot 85.2 percent at the foul line (23-of-27). CU outrebounded Fairmont State 48-31.
The Mountain Lions travel to play Wheeling Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. Â
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