FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State Women's Basketball team let a second half lead slip away to Bowie State at home on Sunday afternoon by a final score of 89-80.
 
The teams traded buckets to start the game, with sophomore Emilee Weakley getting an early jumper and BSU responding with a layup and three to lead 5-4. Graduate Maggie Sharp hit a triple, then Weakley converted an and-one opportunity to take some control up 10-5. FSU held the Bulldogs to just one made basket in the next four minutes, with Weakley getting another lay-in and Sharp hitting again from deep to grow the lead up to 15-7. Bowie would show some fight, scoring a pair of buckets either side of another Sharp trey, pulling back within two at 18-16. Weakley got a put-back make on the next possession, then hit a couple free throws after freshman Grace Middleton hit a floater in the lane to go into the second quarter up 24-19.
 
Frostburg's defense clamped down in the second period, as the Bulldogs didn't score for the first five minutes. Baskets from Middleton and freshmen Mandy Roman and Alanna Tate were combined with four at the charity stripe between Weakley and graduate Ciara Thomas en route to a commanding 34-19 Bobcat lead. BSU was determined not to let the game get away from them, going on a 10-3 run to pull within eight. Each side traded blows over the next six possessions, with Frostburg coming out ahead 43-36 with a minute and a half left in the half following a made three from Bowie. Weakley scored another two at the charity stripe in the final minute, then Sharp had the highlight of the half, just getting off a late three before the buzzer sounded for her fifth make from behind the arc, giving FSU a 48-37 advantage at the break.
 
The Bobcats continued their momentum into the third, as junior MacKenzie Freeze, Weakley, and Tate all scored in the first three minutes for a game-high 15-point lead. This time, it would be the Bulldogs to turn the game by way of defense, as Frostburg had just one field goal through the final seven minutes of the frame. As part of a 12-2 run, BSU pulled all the way within 56-51 with a minute left on the clock. The teams traded free throws, with Weakley and freshman Jenna Muha converting all four of theirs for a 60-53 Frostburg lead.
 
FSU continued to struggle offensively, not getting a make from the floor for six minutes to start the fourth. Sharp had the only score with a couple freebies, but Bowie had answers on both offense and defense, making a pair from deep for a shock 68-64 lead in the final three and a half minutes. Weakley brought the contest back within one with another and-one, but despite layups from Thomas and Middleton, BSU continued to find offense, leading 72-71 in the last two minutes. After a three-point miss by the Bulldogs, Weakley got the rebound and was fouled, but could only hit one of her two at the line for a tie game. Each team had chances to win late on, but shots wouldn't fall, as the game went into overtime on a last-ditch Weakley heave at 72-72.
 
Neither side backed down at the start of the extra period, with Middleton hitting a pair of lay-ins, followed by another from Roman, but the Bulldogs never missed from the field on their possessions, building a three-point lead with 1:42 on the clock. The FSU shots stopped falling, as Bowie remained perfect on offense, scoring two layups and a pair of free throws at the end for the comeback 89-80 victory.
 
Weakley led all scorers with 31 points while also grabbing a game-high 13 rebounds. Sharp contributed 19 on 5-of-9 shooting from distance, while Tate dished out a career-high six assists. Roman and junior Jasmine Johnson led the defensive effort, with the former swiping five steals and the latter blocking three shots to go with eight boards.
 
With the loss, Frostburg falls to 7-5, while Bowie improves to 9-5. The Bobcats return to MEC play on Wednesday, January 10 for a road game against West Liberty at 5:30 p.m. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.