Concord Fends Off Salem for 81-73 Win

SALEM, W.Va. – The Concord University women's basketball team led wire-to-wire to defeat Salem, 81-73, in a non-conference game held at T. Edward Davis Gymnasium Saturday afternoon.
 
Senior guard Skylar Davidson put the Mountain Lions on the board seven seconds into the game and CU (4-6) never looked back, controlling the advantage the rest of the way.
 
Senior guard Sanaiya Morris converted a pair of layups as Concord extended the early led to 8-0 at the 7:03 mark of the first quarter. Junior forward Imani Hickman buried a three-pointer to swell the margin to double figures, 15-5, just over halfway through the frame.
 
CU held Salem (0-9) to 28.6 (4-for-14) from the field in the opening 10 minutes to carry an 18-9 edge into the second quarter.
 
Morris kept piling on the points, finding the net on a three-point basket to lead 24-9 with 7:13 left until halftime. Then, sophomore forward Saniya Hymes rained in a three-pointer that grew the advantage to 20 points, 31-11. The Tigers cut the deficit to 13 before the end of the half, but Concord responded by leading 38-21 at the break.
 
The Mountain Lions opened the second half on an 11-2 scoring run to grow the edge to 26, 49-23, at the 7:05 mark. Morris scored four points off turnovers during the spurt as she notched her fourth straight game scoring at least 15 points. Later in the quarter, Davidson made a three-pointer to give CU its largest lead of the afternoon, 52-25, with 5:45 on the clock. SU cut into the deficit late in the frame, but the Maroon and Gray still led by 18, 58-40, heading into the fourth.
 
Salem trimmed the margin throughout the fourth quarter, getting as close as six points in the closing moments, but CU closed the game out with ten foul shots in the final 1:10 of the game.
 
Morris accounted for six free throws in the closing minutes in the final 70 seconds to net a career-best 29 points in the game. Davidson (13), junior forward Abbie Smith (11), and graduate forward Trina Lewis (10) all scored in double figures as well. Defensively, CU forced Salem into 28 turnovers and took away 12 steals as Morris, Davidson, and sophomore guard Madison Young led with three steals each.
The Maroon and Gray posted their best performance from the free throw line this winter, going 21-for-24 (87.5 percent) from the charity stripe.
 
CU wraps up a two-game road stretch against Mountain East Conference foe Frostburg State Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.