WHEELING, W.Va. – The Concord University women's basketball team was unable to overcome slow starts in both halves as it lost 73-62 to West Virginia State in the Mountain East Conference Semifinals Saturday afternoon at WesBanco Arena.
Down by eight entering the third quarter, CU (17-13) watched West Virginia State (21-9) start the third quarter on a 10-0 run to take its largest lead of the game at 18 points, 48-30.
The Mountain Lions, though, fought back as they held WVSU to three points over the next 6:30 of the game and trailed 51-47 after two free throws from sophomore forward
Abbie Smith at the 1:10 mark of the third quarter.
West Virginia State did score the final five points of the third quarter to take the lead back to nine points.
A three-pointer from graduate guard
Jazz Blankenship and a Smith stickback reduced the deficit to 56-53 with 7:37 remaining. But, it was close as CU would get down the stretch.
The Mountain Lions overcame a six-minute scoreless drought to start the game as trailed 7-0 before Blankenship connected on a three-pointer. The triple helped CU get back within 12-10 as junior guard
Skylar Davidson capped a 7-0 run with a layup with 49 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
WVSU answered by building a 21-11 lead in the early stages of the second quarter. Once again, Concord had a second-quarter surge as a paint jumper from graduate guard
Nakaila Gray trimmed the margin to one possession, 23-20, with 4:27 left in the first half.
West Virginia State fended off the Concord spurt, but the Mountain Lions kept the margin at eight, 38-30, at halftime.
Davidson finished with 18 points on 5-for-10 shooting. She added four assists and four steals. Blankenship heated up from three-point range, going 4-of-5, as part of her season-high 17 points. Smith just missed a double-double with 10 points and eight rebounds.
Gray, in her final career game, went for eight points, seven rebounds and three steals.
Concord held WVSU to 31.8 percent from the floor, but was unable to overcome 25 turnovers.
Saturday was the final career games for Blanknenship, Gray and graduate forward
Alexis Phillips. Blankenship finished her career as CU's all-time leader in games played at 137. Blankenship's 138 three-pointers are also top 10 in program history.
Phillips' 80 blocks are top five in program history.
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