TAMPA, Fla. – The Concord University women's basketball team was defeated 85-63 by Saint Leo in the final game of the Tampa Thanksgiving Tournament Saturday afternoon inside Tampa's Bob Martinez Athletic Center.
Both teams traded points to begin the game, as junior forward
Abbie Smith, junior forward
Imani Hickman and graduate forward
Trina Lewis added layups to jump ahead, 6-4 at the 8:04 mark of the opening quarter. A pair of late SLU (5-1) runs saw the Lions build a double-digit lead after the first 10 minutes of play.
CU (3-5) would not gain any ground in the second quarter, as it trailed 50-27 at the halftime break.
The Mountain Lions went on an 10-2 scoring run to begin the second half when senior guard Saniaya Morris picked away steals on three straight possessions to cut the margin to 15, 52-37, with 7:37 on the third quarter clock.
Then, at the 6:01 mark, Smith converted a free throw that became her 1,000th career point. She is the 22nd player in program history to reach 1,000 career points and only needed 69 games to reach the milestone.
A nine-point run in the fourth quarter was as close as the Mountain Lions would get as a layup from freshman guard
Amarrah Carter-Bennett made the score 75-61. However, Saint Leo locked down Concord for the final five minutes to collect the win.
Hickman posted a double-double, leading CU in points (18) and rebounds (10). Smith finished just shy of a double-double with 16 points and nine rebounds. Morris also scored in double figures with 15 points and dished out a team-best five assists.
The Mountain Lions travel back to the Mountain State to host Mountain East Conference newcomer Point Park Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.
