FROSTBURG, Md. – Senior Jasmine Walker poured in a career-high 16 rebounds en route to her first double-double as a Bobcat but the Frostburg State women's basketball team could not over Juniata as the Eagles walked away with a narrow 70-63 victory, Wednesday night.
Walker led the Bobcats with 12 rebounds to go along with her 16 points while freshman Adjowa Pinkrah also posted 16 points off the bench for Frostburg.
The Eagles (1-2) took a 31-26 lead into halftime and appeared to take control of the game as they came out of the break on a 10-6 run to take a nine-point lead, 41-32, with 15:30 to play. Frostburg (1-2) began to chip away at the lead and Pinkrah hit a three to get the Bobcats within one, 44-43, with just over 11 minutes to play.
The Bobcats kept the Eagles within five points over the next seven minutes as the teams went back-and-forth with baskets on offensive possessions before Walker tied the game for the eighth time of the night with a jumper coming out of a time out with 4:21 to play. After junior Maria Photiades hit the first of her two free throws to give JC a 61-59 lead, Walker pulled down the rebound off her next missed free throw attempt and Pinkrah drove to the basket to tie the game at 61 with 2:41 to play.
The knot at 61 proved to be the last tie for Frostburg as Juniata narrowly escaped with a 9-2 run over the last two minutes of action, including five points from the free throw line, to seal the 70-63 win.
The two teams kept each other close in the first half as neither team held more than a six point lead in the first 20 minutes of action. Senior Ronje' James gave Frostburg its first lead of the game 2:49 into play as she hit both of her free throws to hand Frostburg a 6-4 lead, but Juniata answered with six unasnswered points to take a 10-6 lead. Juniata took the largest lead of the first half as freshman Bailey Swogger made both free throws to give JC a 14-8 lead with 12:04 to play. Freshman Tajaia Tillman tied the game for the third time with a free throw before giving the Bobcats their second lead of the game with a jumper with 7:28 to play.
The next three minutes featured back-and-forth action as a free throw from freshman Rachel Anstine tied the game for the seventh time at 26-26 with 3:12 to play. The Eagles finished out the half with five unanswered points to go into the half with the 31-26 lead.
All of Pinkrah's points came off the bench as Frostburg's bench out-scored Juniata's 28-14 on the day.
Frostburg returns to action as the Bobcats host LaRoche on Monday, Nov. 24 at 7:00 pm before the Thanksgiving break.
