(Bluefield, WV) – Concordia women's basketball took a weekend road trip to West Virginia, facing off against Bluefield State on Friday night. The Cardinals came into the contest 4-3 overall on the year. CUAA doubled up Bluefield in the firstt quarter and cruised to secure an 81-66 victory.
Katie Snow led Concordia with 22 points in the game. J'May Simmons finished with 15 points and a team-high 9 rebounds. Averi Bebble, Taylor Leatherman, and Tris'styn Williams each chipped in 8 points on a balanced scoring attack from the Cardinals.
A free throw from Averi Bebble opened scoring in the game. J'May Simmons knocked down a mid-range jumper and Paige Johnson drilled a triple. Two free throws from Katie Snow gave the Cardinals a 10-4 lead at the 4:38 mark, but Bluefield pulled within 2 points just a minute later. Tris'styn Williams closed out a 6-0 run with an inside basket and a reverse layup, giving CUAA a 16-8 lead after the first quarter.
A free throw from J'May Simmons opened scoring in the second. Simmons added a three pointer to give Concordia their first double-digit lead with a 20-8 advantage. Bluefield tightened the game with a 9-1 run in the next several minutes, but Tris'styn Williams ended the run with a layup. CUAA heated up from behind the arc with triples from Taylor Leatherman and Katie Snow, regaining a double-digit lead. Alize Tripp hit a buzzer-beating layup to put Concordia up 39-25 at halftime.
Katie Snow converted an old-fashioned three-point play for the first Cardinal points in the third. Taylor Leatherman later added a mid-range jumper and an "and-1" of her own for a 49-33 lead. Stephanie Abraham drained a pair of free throws and Katie Snow hit a 3-pointer from the corner in the last minute. J'May Simmons beat the buzzer with a layup to put CUAA ahead 56-43 after the third quarter.
Two free throws from Katie Snow opened scoring in the fourth. Alize Tripper drained a jumper and Katie Snow knocked down another triple. Concordia continued to convert on offense with Asaria Turman scoring inside and J'May Simmons adding a pair of layups. Averi Bebble showed her range with a 3-pointer and Allyson Hunt tacked on two free throws. CUAA was able to secure the 81-66 win as time expired.
The Cardinals improve to 5-3 with the win. The team will travel to West Virginia Tech tomorrow (Saturday, January 23). Tip-off is at 2:30pm.
