WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. - The West Liberty University women's basketball team rolled past visiting Concord, 87-70, Saturday afternoon inside the ASRC.
The Hilltoppers broke a 38-38 tie by scoring the final six points of the first half and never looked back after taking the 44-38 lead into the break. The advantage stayed with the Black and Gold, as WLU led by double-digits for nearly the final 14 minutes of the game.
A 13-0 run bookended by three pointers from Karly McCutcheon and Grace Faulk elapsing nearly four and a half minutes late in the third quarter put the Hilltoppers up 18 points (67-49).
West Liberty cruised in the fourth quarter and added an 8-0 spurt midway through the frame to take the lead up to a game-high 24 points (87-63) off an Arriana Manzay lay-in at the 3:29 mark.
The first half featured six lead changes and four ties before the Hilltoppers took over.
All nine players that saw action for West Liberty scored. McCutcheon paced four in double digits with 18 points and three triples, while adding five rebounds and five assists.
Manzay battled first-half foul trouble, but had a strong second half to end with 15 points on 7-for-11 shooting. Faulk drained a game-high four three pointers netting 14 points with four rebounds, four assists, one steal, and a block.
Corinne Thomas posted a double-double scoring 11 points and pulling in 10 rebounds, along with three assists. Sonia Sarda just missed a double-double tying a career-high with 10 assists, but was a point shy finishing with nine. Sarda also collected six rebounds, two steals, and a block.
West Liberty outshot Concord 14-3 from beyond the arc and assisted on 25 of its 34 made shots.
The Hilltoppers won the turnover battle forcing 15 and only surrendering nine. They turned the 15 Mountain Lion miscues into 20 points.
WLU improves to 15-9 on the season and 13-5 in conference action with the win, while Concord drops to 9-14 overall and 7-11 in the MEC.
West Liberty travels to Frostburg State for its next matchup on Wednesday. Start time is slated for 5:30 pm.