ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University women's basketball team locked down Charleston in a 54-44 win Saturday afternoon at the Carter Center in a Mountain East Conference game.
The Mountain Lions (2-2, 1-0 MEC) held Charleston (1-3, 0-1 MEC) to 30.2 percent shooting in the game and outrebounded the Golden Eagles 44-27.
CU jumped out a 13-4 lead after one quarter and remained in the lead at halftime, 27-20.
With the advantage at the break, the Mountain Lions went cold from the floor in the third quarter and was limited to six points in the quarter, allowing Charleston to grabb a 34-33 edge going to the fourth quarter.
But, Concord responded in a big way to open the fourth quarter. Graduate forward
Alexis Phillips scored her first points of the game on a three-pointer in the first minute of the final period. And on the next Concord possession, junior guard
Skylar Davidson hit a transition layup after a steal from graduate guard
Nakaila Gray.
The Golden Eagles got within 41-39 at the 7:13 mark, and from there both defenses tightened up. It wasn't until the 4:48 mark of the quarter that CU got back on the board with a layup from senior guard
Maddie Ratcliff.
Charleston had an answer with a three-pointer at the 2:53 mark, but a jumper from sophomore forward
Abbie Smith and another layup from Davidson pushed the lead back to five, 47-42, with 1:43 remaining.
Davidson and Phillips combined to go 6-for-6 at the foul line in the final 36 seconds as CU put away the Golden Eagles by 10.
Smith finished with a game-best 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Davidson tallied 14 points on 5-for-7 shooting. Phillips scored all seven of her points in the fourth quarter while adding 11 rebounds, four steals and two blocks.
Senior guard
Jaisah Smith netted seven points and pulled down five rebounds.
CU tallied 34 of its 54 points in the paint and shot 92.3 percent (12-for-13) at the foul line.
The Mountain Lions travel to West Virginia State 2:00 p.m. Tuesday.
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