Concord Runs Past Emory & Henry in 91-72 Win

ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University women's basketball team took down Emory & Henry in a non-conference matchup Friday afternoon at the Carter Center.
 
The Mountain Lions (5-5, 2-2 MEC) held the lead for over 37 minutes in the game, jumping out to a 14-4 scoring run to begin the first quarter. The run included CU spreading the ball around with seven different players scoring in the spurt.
 
Freshman guard Ana Young scored a career-high 24 points with 15 points coming in the opening half. Young connected on back-to-back three-point baskets to head her own 8-0 scoring run to begin the second quarter, as Concord led 29-17 with 7:33 remaining until halftime. She knocked down four three-point shots on 10-of-19 shooting for the game.
 
CU controlled the rest of the opening half, extending its lead to as many as 16 before owning a 48-41 advantage after the first 20 minutes of play, shooting over 50 percent from the floor.
 
In the second half, the Mountain Lions defense took over. A 15-2 scoring run was led by senior guard Jaisah Smith and Young scoring six points each. Six turnovers by E&H (5-6, 1-3 SAC) gave Concord a 65-53 lead at the third quarter media timeout. Thirty-six of CU's 91 points in the game were scored off turnovers.
 
E&H turned the ball over 10 times in the fourth frame on eight CU steals. Midway through the final frame, back-to-back steals charged an 8-0 Mountain Lions scoring run with J. Smith, A. Smith, junior guard Skylar Davidson, and junior guard/forward Deja Atkinson providing buckets to extend lead to 84-65 with just over three minutes left to play. Concord closed out the game 91-72, outscoring the Wasps 18-9 in the final 10 minutes of play.
 
CU set a new program record, as they swiped 23 steals in the game. Davidson tied her career-high of six steals, while senior guard Jaisah Smith and Atkinson came away with four steals each. Seven different Mountain Lions recorded a steal in the game. The previous record of 21 steals also came against Emory & Henry last winter.
 
Young led all scorers in the game with 24 points, while also hauling in five rebounds and dishing two assists. J. Smith (14 points), Atkinson (13 points), graduate guard Nakaila Gray (12 points), and A. Smith (11 points) also scored in double digits. Davidson finished with a stat line of nine points, eight assists, tying a career-high, and six steals.
 
The Mountain Lions travel to Fairmont State on January 5 to resume MEC conference play at Joe Retton Arena at 11:00 a.m.