ATHENS, W. Va. – The Frostburg State University Women's basketball team defeated Concord on Wednesday evening 74-73 in a game that came down to the final seconds.
Scoring started one minute into the game, as CU got a make on an offensive board, but sophomore Emilee Weakley answered back with a 15-foot jumper to tie 2-2. Both teams scored another basket within the next 30 seconds before the Mountain Lions went on an eight-point run, making their lead 12-4. Weakly scored back-to-back buckets for the Bobcats, getting the score within five at 14-9. CU kept pulling away as Alexis Phillips hit a three, but FSU's bench came up clutch, with junior Jasmine Johnson and graduate Ciara Thomas earning back-to-back three-point plays for to bring the first period to a close with the hosts up 19-15.
Up and down the court, points were traded by both teams to start the second quarter. FSU got the score within four at 23-19, then another three-point play by Johnson got within three. Weakley hit a three in response to a Concord make at 27-25, followed by a pass from junior Harley Herndon to senior MacKenzie Freeze to knock down a trey, taking Frostburg's lead for the first time in this game 28-27. The Mountain Lions hit two free-throws to take back the lead before freshman Jenna Muha saw her first three points of the game on an ande-one opportunity continued the lead for FSU 31-29. Points were traded until the clock ran out, with neither team leading by more than two, going into halftime with a 37-37 tie.
Muha had eight quick points to start the second half and grow Frostburg's lead up to 45-39. Concord used several substitutions in search of a way back into the game, but Muha, Freeze, and freshman Alanna Tate combined for 10 points in stretching the game up to 55-43. The Mountains Lions would lock down defensively, holding the Bobcats to just three points over the next four minutes, cutting the deficit all the way down to one point. With six seconds left, two free throws by Thomas at the end of the quarter kept FSU in the lead 60-57.
A minute into the final frame, Nakaila Gray cut CU's deficit to one on a lay-in, being fouled on the make to tie the game 60-60. Thomas got the ball in her hands and went coast-to-coast for an and-one lay-up to go back up three. Freshman Grace Middleton saw her first points of the game as she secured the ball and powered up a right-handed lay-in, then freshman Mandy Roman also added to the score to give some cushion to FSU's lead 68-62. After some foul trouble, Weakley checked back into the game and immediately hit a jump shot for a 70-62 advantage with just over four minutes to go.
Some ramped up defensive pressure caused a few Frostburg turnovers, allowing CU extra possessions that they used to tie the game 71-71 with one minute left. Thomas was sent to the foul line and made one of two, gaining the lead by a point. Under the wire, Skylar Davidson had an easy lay-up to give CU their first lead of the half 73-72. FSU did not crumble, using a timeout for Head Coach Jenna Eckleberry to set up a play. Weakley was passed the ball, made a move, and off the glass, the ball fell into the basket for a 74-73 lead with 40 seconds on the clock. Johnson walled up down low to force a miss, but Middleton coughed up the ball in trying to get over mid-court, handing Concord the ball back. She made up for the miscue, grabbing a steal of her own with four seconds left, helping to close out the game with a final one-point victory.
Weakley (15), Muha (15), and Tate (13) all reached double figures for FSU, as each also had seven rebounds, while Johnson had a team-high eight boards to go with a pair of steals.
With the conclusion of the game, Frostburg moves to an overall record of 5-3 and a conference record of 4-1, while Concord falls to an overall record of 4-4. The Bobcats are back in action on Saturday, December 9 at home for a 2 pm start time against Glenville State. For more information visit frostburgsports.com.
