WHEELING, W.Va. – The Concord University women's basketball team lost to Wheeling 73-64 in a Mountain East Conference game Saturday afternoon inside the McDonough Center.
CU (8-7, 5-4 MEC) jumped out to a quick lead in the first quarter on a three-point shot from graduate guard
Nakaila Gray and a pair of free throws from sophomore forward
Abbie Smith, 5-0.
After a few traded buckets, Gray converted a three-point play to regain the lead over the Cardinals (12-4, 7-2 MEC), 12-10. Graduate guard
Jazz Blankenship connected on a three-pointer with 22 seconds left in the frame to give the Mountain Lions a 15-12 advantage heading into the second quarter.
The Maroon and Gray found themselves at a one-point deficit, 18-17, with 5:26 left until the halftime break. Then, Smith exploded for 12 points in the final four minutes of the second quarter. She also grabbed six rebounds to notch a 16-point, 12-rebound double-double in the first half. Her scoring efforts earned CU the lead at halftime, 31-26.
Junior guard/forward
Deja Atkinson scored all of her six points in the third quarter, including drawing contact for a three-point play to retake the lead 39-38 with 6:24 left in the third. However, the third period was Wheeling's was the Cardinals outscored CU 33-13 in the frame.
After trailing by as much as 15 points in the fourth quarter, CU came within nine points of the Wheeling lead, shooting 4-of-7 (57.1 percent) from three-point range in the final 10 minutes. The Cardinals held onto their lead, defeating the Mountain Lions, 73-64.
Smith scored a season-high 23 points and grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds. Gray also finished in double digits with 12 points and knocking down a pair of three-pointers. Freshman guard
Ana Young and senior guard
Jaisah Smith both finished 2-for-3 from three-point range, both collecting six points each. Junior guard
Skylar Davidson had five rebounds, five assists, and came away with three steals.
Concord stays on the road to face MEC-rival Charleston in Wehrle Arena Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.
