SALEM, W.Va. - The Concord University women's basketball team took down Salem 75-67 on the road in a non-conference meeting Wednesday evening inside T. Edward Davis Gymnasium.
Down seven at halftime, 34-27, CU's (4-2, 2-0 MEC) offense got going early in the third quarter on an 11-0 scoring run headed by seven points from graduate guard
Nakaila Gray and four points from senior guard
Jaisah Smith. The Mountain Lions outscored the Tigers (1-6) 29-14 in the third frame to hold a 56-48 advantage.
After Salem hit a jumper to start the fourth quarter, Concord ran off an 11-2 run that took the lead to a game-high 15 points, 67-52. The Tigers clawed back to within six points in the final period once more, but it came with less than a minute left.
Despite shooting 22 percent from the floor in the opening half, the Mountain Lions only trailed SU 34-27 at the break. A strong defensive effort of eight CU steals and four blocks limited the Tiger's offensive attack in the first half. Concord finished the game with 20 points off turnovers.
Sophomore forward
Abbie Smith collected her third double-double this season, scoring a team-high 18 points and grabbing a team-best 17 rebounds. 11 of Smith's 18 points were scored in the second half. And Smith finished one rebound off her career.
Four other Mountain Lions scored in double figures, as
Jaisah Smith noticed her fourth double-digit scoring game this season with 17 points. Gray finished with 12 points on 2-for-5 shooting beyond the arc. Senior guard
Maddie Ratcliff scored 11 points and came away with four steals. Graduate forward
Alexis Phillips shot 2-for-2 from the three-point line on her way to 10 points and adding eight rebounds.
Concord shot a season-best 40 percent (6-for-15) from three-point range as Gray and graduate forward
Alexis Phillips knocked down two long range jumpers each.
Junior guard
Skylar Davidson racked up a career-high eight assists, as well as four steals.
CU returns to the Carter Center Saturday to defend its four-game win streak against Notre Dame at 2:00 p.m.
