Scales' Buzzer-Beater Pushes Concord Past Charleston, 73-71

CHARLESTON, W.Va.- A corner jump shot from senior guard Kennedy Scales as time expired lifted the Concord University women's basketball team to a 73-71 win over Charleston Wednesday night in a Mountain East Conference game at the Wehrle Innovation Center.
 
Leading by one point, CU (12-5, 8-2 MEC) watched Charleston (10-7, 7-3 MEC) tie the game at the foul line. The second Golden Eagle free throw missed and senior forward Olivia Ziolkowski brought down the crucial board and called timeout, giving Concord the last possession.
 
With 24 seconds on the clock, the Mountain Lions held for the last shot.  
 
Sophomore guard Kenyah Stubbs drove down towards the left elbow before kicking it out towards the corner. Scales sunk a mid-range jumper for her eighth point of the game to give Concord the two-point victory.
 
Leading up to the final half minute of the game, Concord found itself trailing for the first time in the contest with 6:37 remaining in the fourth quarter, 63-60.
 
A layup from Ziolkowski and a pair of free throws from senior forward Abbie Smith put Concord back in front 68-67 with 2:25 remaining.
 
Charleston split a pair of free throws and then converted a layup to go back up two points, 70-68. Stubbs answered right back with a clutch layup and gave CU the lead with a free throw to complete the old-fashioned, three-point play.
 
On its next possession, UC drew a foul to eventually tie the game at 71-71.
 
Concord raced out to a 20-10 lead near the end of the first quarter, and kept Charleston in check throughout the remainder of the first half as the Mountain Lions led 36-33 at halftime. CU opened up a seven-point lead in the third quarter, 40-33, after a jumper from Smith.
 
UC tied the game at 47-47, but it was still the Mountain Lions ahead 55-53 after 30 minutes.
 
Smith led the Mountain Lions with 20 points to go with eight rebounds, and two blocks. Stubbs finished with 17 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and a steal. Ziolkowski was the third-double figure scorer with 14 points. She also secured six rebounds.
 
Scales concluded her night with eight points, two rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
 
Concord managed to shoot 43.3 percent from the field and held Charleston to 34.7 percent. The Mountain Lions finished 18-for-21 at the foul line.
 
Concord faces another team at the top of the MEC standings in Glenville State 2:00 p.m. Saturday.