Concord Limits West Virginia State in 82-71 Win

ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University women's basketball team locked down West Virginia State, and had five players in double figures, as it controlled the Yellow Jackets in an 82-71 win Wednesday night at the Carter Center in a Mountain East Conference game.

Trailing 19-15 with under two minutes left in the first quarter, Concord (12-15, 9-12 MEC) scored the final four points of the period to tie the game. The momentum carried over to the second quarter.

CU held West Virginia State (21-5, 16-5 MEC) scoreless for the first 5:56 of the second quarter—and 8:03 overall of the first half—as senior guard Jazz Blankenship capped a 15-0 run with two free throws at the 4:04 mark of the second period. Junior guard Maddie Ratcliff scored nine of her 17 points during the spurt.

The Yellow Jackets only got as close as eight points for the remainder of the half as junior guard Jaisah Smith beat the first-half buzzer to give Concord a 41-31 lead at halftime.
WVSU, though, had a third-quarter surge as it took a 47-45 lead, but the Mountain Lions immediately answered with seven straight points to go up 52-47 with 1:58 remaining in the third.

Again, Smith had the final say in the period as her mid-range jumper was good at the third-quarter horn, giving CU a 56-52 edge.

Graduate guard Maggie Guynn opened the fourth quarter with a three-pointer to take the lead back to seven.

The Yellow Jackets continued to chase the lead it got within 65-63, but a jumper from Guynn and a three-pointer at the end of the shot clock from Smith pushed the lead back to seven at the 3:26 mark.

WVSU got as close as three points, but never tied the game in the final three minutes. CU went 8-for-10 at the foul line in the final 57 seconds.

Guynn threw in 18 points while Ratcliff was 4-for-8 from the field and 7-of-8 at the foul line for her 17 points. Junior guard Nakaila Gray recorded her first career double-double with career highs in both points (15) and rebounds (11). Smith tallied 15 points.

Freshman forward Abbie Smith went for 13 points and grabbed six rebounds.

Concord held WVSU to 30.6 percent shooting, and had a 55-45 rebounding margin.

CU also shot 85.7 percent at the foul line (24-for-28).

The Mountain Lions welcome fourth-ranked Glenville State to the Carter Center 2:00 p.m. Saturday for Senior Day.