Box Score
ATHENS, W.Va. – Senior Tareena Dixon (Morgantown, W.Va./University) led the University of Charleston women’s basketball team with a 26 point and 18 rebound effort as the Golden Eagles dropped a double-overtime nail biter to conference opponent Concord 94-93, Thursday evening.
The teams were evenly matched throughout the evening with UC hitting 43 percent (39-of-90) on its shots and the Mountain Lions (3-3, 2-3) managing 48 percent from the floor. The Golden Eagles overcame the shooting deficit by hitting nine three-pointers in the contest.
Charleston held a three point advantage at halftime, but turnovers slowed the offensive attack after the break as CU held tough behind the post presence of Jolysa Brown who ended the night with 22 points and 11 rebounds.
Despite the miscues and cold shooting in the second half UC held a comfortable 12-points lead with just five minutes left to play in regulation, yet they would slowly let it slip away. Concord would go on a 12-0 run to hit the game tying shot with 32 seconds remaining. The Golden Eagles setup to take the final shot of the game as Tiana Beatty (Charleston, W.Va./Capital) would drive into triple coverage down the lane with her layup just glancing off the rim to take the game into extra frames.
In the first overtime the teams would trade baskets until leading scorer Lindsey Kenter (Wapakoneta, Ohio/Wapakoneta) would nail a long jumper to give Charleston a two point lead and just 25 seconds on clock. After bringing the ball up the court and a quick 30-second timeout Concord setup it counter strike as Brown would take the ball in the lane and Dixon swatting the ball away in what seemed to be a solid block, yet Dixon was called for the foul. Brown went to the line for CU and sank both foul shots to send the game into yet another overtime frame.
In the second overtime, the Mountain Lions controlled the pace as they would turn multiple missed shots by UC into a four point advantage with 1:49 left to play. Kentner would come up big for the Golden Eagles a second time with her fourth basket from behind the arc to pull Charleston within one at 90-89. After a charge is called against Brown on the offensive end for Concord Ali Tobias (Painesville, Ohio/Riverside) would strike for two shots from the charity stripe to take a narrow 91-90 lead.
Down the stretch Sarah Blevins would come up big for the Mountain Lions. She would hit a pair of foul shots to retake the lead for CU (92-91), yet Charleston did not falter as Dixon hit a jump-shot with just 10 seconds to play. In what seemed like a replay of the final play of regulation Concord used its final possession to take the ball inside the lane, this time with Blevins, and what seemed like a game-ending block from Moneka Slaughter (Barberton, Ohio/Barberton) turned into game changing foul shots for Blevins. Blevins would knock down the pair from the charity stripe leaving just 2.9 seconds on the clock for Charleston with the score 94-93. Kentner would take a desperation heave from half court as UC fell short and the final score being set at 94-93.
Kentner concluded the evening just behind Dixon with 25 points, which included a 1-for-1 effort from the free throw line. The single make from the charity stripe now ties her for the most consecutive free throws in schools history with 23 straight without a miss.
Tobias had her second game this season with four three-point shots as she was 4-of-9 from behind the line to end the night with 16 points and four assists.
For Concord, Camisha Alexander led the way with 23 points including 6-of-7 from the foul line, while Brown had a double-double effort of 22 points and 11 rebounds.
The Golden Eagles return to the court on the road at conference opponent Pitt-Johnstown on Saturday, December 11 for a 6:00 pm tipoff.
