ATHENS, W.Va. – A 15-0 run during the third quarter propelled the Concord University women's basketball team to an 82-75 win over West Virginia Wesleyan Wednesday night in a Mountain East Conference game at the Carter Center.
Concord (16-7, 11-4 MEC) trailed 35-33 at the halftime, and could only tie the game four times in the opening 20 minutes.
With CU down 37-35 three minutes into the second half, the Mountain Lions took off. After freshman guard
Cadence Blackburn tied the game for the sixth time, 37-37, junior guard
Alexis Frazee gave Concord its first lead at the 6:14 mark of the third quarter on a three-pointer.
Junior guard
Kiley Smich scored the next four points before Frazee and senior forward
Olivia Ziolkowski combined for the final six of the run.
The Mountain Lions made nine of their first 10 field goals of the third quarter, and maintained a double-digit lead over the final 3:12 of the third before West Virginia Wesleyan (14-5, 11-4 MEC) hit a three-pointer at the third-period buzzer to slice the lead to 55-46.
Blackburn jumpstarted an 11-4 run as she opened the fourth quarter with a foul-line jumper. And after Blackburn's three-pointer with 6:03 remaining Concord had its biggest lead of the night at 16 points, 66-50.
However, the Bobcats mounted a surge as they got the Concord lead all the way down to 68-66 with 2:29 left. But, it was Blackburn again with a corner three-pointer at the end of the shot clock. Wesleyan went empty on its next possession, and senior guard
Kennedy Scales followed up Blackburn's three-pointer with her own triple.
WVWC reduced the deficit to 74-68, but with 38 seconds left Smich put the game away with a driving layup. Blackburn and senior forward
Abbie Smith closed the game out at the foul line by going a combined 6-for-6.
CU was a perfect 14-of-14 from the foul line Wednesday night.
The Mountain Lions trailed 15-6 to open the game and were still down 19-12 after one quarter. It wasn't until Frazee's first three-pointer of the night at the 4:16 mark of the second quarter that Concord was able to tie the game for the first time, 27-27.
Smith scored 16 of her 24 points in the first half. She added seven rebounds and two blocks. Blackburn had another strong game off the bench with 12 points on 4-for-5 shooting. She was a game-best +20 in 30 minutes and matched her career high with six assists.
Sophomore guard
Kenyah Stubbs went for 12 points while Frazee tallied 10 points.
Smich recorded eight points, four rebounds and four steals. Ziolkowski tossed in eight points and nine rebounds.
The Mountain Lions travel to Davis & Elkins 2:00 p.m. Saturday.
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