Nov. 22—BLUEFIELD — The Concord University women’s basketball team scored the first points of the game and never looked back for an 85-72 victory over rival Bluefield State in a non-conference contest at Ned E. Shott Gymnasium Wednesday evening.
The Mountain Lions (2-2) led from wire-to-wire, despite BSU (2-3) bringing the game within three early in the fourth quarter.
After the Big Blues made the score 61-58 with 8:52 remaining in the game, Concord charged a 15-3 scoring run that put the game out of reach. Junior forward Abbie Smith left her mark, scoring six points during the spurt en route to a 27-point performance, just two points shy of her career-best.
CU got off to a quick start, scoring eight of the game’s first nine points. Senior guard Sanaiya Morris and junior forward Imani Hickman connected on three-point baskets to take an 8-1 advantage just over two minutes into the contest.
Sophomore guard Madison Young drilled two three-point baskets throughout the remainder of the quarter as the Mountain Lions shot 50 percent (5-for-10) from long range to take a 22-13 lead after 10 minutes.
Smith took over in the second quarter, scoring nine of Concord’s 18 points. She added back-to-back buckets to keep the lead at nine, 31-22, at the 6:01 mark of the second period. In the final 3:45 before halftime, senior guard Skylar Davidson scored six points as CU went into the halftime break with a 40-32 edge.
Smith wasted no time in the third quarter, finding the net on back-to-back layups in the first 40 seconds to lead 44-34. After bringing the margin within five, Concord went into the fourth quarter with a 61-54 advantage.
The Mountain Lions led by as much as 17 points in the fourth quarter before Bluefield State’s final charge, but it was not enough as CU picked up its first road win on the season.
Smith led all players with 27 points and notched another double-double with 15 rebounds.
The Maroon and Gray led the rebounding battle for the first time this winter, grabbing 39 rebounds to the Big Blues’ 36 boards. Davidson had her best scoring performance through four games, scoring 19 points and adding five steals and four assists. Morris (12) and junior guard Kennedy Scales (10) also scored in double figures. Concord was also active at the three-point line, knocking down eight triples as Scales, Hickman, and Young each had two each.
Jasmine Jenkins led the Big Blue with 22 points, followed by Tianna Rhodes with 14. Jayla Sample came away with a double-double, 11 points, and 11 rebounds.
The Mountain Lions travel to Charleston for their first Mountain East Conference meeting Saturday at 6 p.m. Bluefield State plays at Bluefield University at 2 p.m. Saturday.
