WBB: MEC Quarterfinals Recap

#2 West Virginia State def. #10 Notre Dame, 77-64

By Duane Cochran for MountainEast.org

WHEELING – It’s been six years but West Virginia State’s women’s basketball team finally finds itself back in the semifinals of the annual Mountain East Conference Tournament.The second-seeded Yellow Jackets led from start to finish as they cruised to a 77-64 victory over 10th-seeded Notre Dame College here Thursday afternoon in the quarterfinals of the league tourney at WesBanco Arena.

The victory, State’s seventh in a row, improved the Yellow Jackets to 20-9 and sets up a meeting Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in the semifinals with sixth-seeded Concord. The Mountain Lions eliminated third-seeded Frostburg State Thursday afternoon, 84-69.

As noted, it will be State’s first semifinal appearance since 2018. The Yellow Jackets have never played for an MEC Tournament title.

“I’m filled with emotion right now because this group has been with me for so long,” veteran West Virginia State coach Charles Marshall said. “We’ve been to this point a couple of times with this group and we haven’t been able to get over the hump.

“They have worked so hard and today it feels like all of their hard work has paid off for this moment. We’re not done, but I’m thrilled for them and thrilled for our program. Today we did not come up short.”

With the loss Notre Dame College closes its last season with a final record of 11-19. The school announced recently it will close its doors for good at the end of the academic semester.

“We knew this game was going to be a challenge,” Notre Dame coach Lauren Macer said. “West Virginia State finished second in our league for a reason. They’re experienced and senior heavy so we knew today we were really going to have to be on offensively and defensively.

“I’m proud of our team. We had moments today when we strung together some things on offense and got stops on defense, but we had a couple of slips that they capitalized on. That’s because they have that experience and veteran leadership.”

State took advantage of 17 offensive rebounds in the first quarter to open a 26-11 lead over the Falcons after the first 10 minutes. By halftime NDC had whittled the lead down to 13 and with 4:51 remaining in the third had gotten it to single digits at 49-40.

It was there, however, that State’s experience and veteran leadership Macer was talking about took over. The Yellow Jackets closed the third quarter on a 16-5 spurt keyed by a trio of 3-point field goals to extended its lead to 19 and the contest was never really close again.

“We’ve been emphasizing coming out strong in the first quarter and third quarter because at times this season we’ve struggled to do that,” said State junior forward Emyah Fortenberry, who finished with 15 points and a game-high nine rebounds. “I was proud of us today for making sure we responded to any run they went on. We all know basketball is a game of runs and we knew they were going to have some, but I was proud of us for always responding to those.”

State, which turned NDC over 27 times and outrebounded the Falcons by 12, also got 16 points from senior guard Z.Z. Russell and 15 points and five boards from Shelby Harmeyer. The Yellow Jackets also set a team record for steals in a single tournament game with 21.

Notre Dame was led by Noel Weathers’ 17 points. The Falcons also got 15 points from Lilee Carlson and nine points and six rebounds from Cencere McDaniel.

“They’re a good team and today we just didn’t do a good job of stopping their runs,” Carlson said. “That’s a credit to them for bouncing back today when we went on our runs.”

Notre Dame, a charter member of the Mountain East Conference, ended up 11-11 all-time in MEC Tournament play. The Falcons played for three women’s tournament championships (2015, 2018, 2020) in the 11-year history of the league, but were not able to win one.

#6 Concord def. #3 Frostburg State, 84-69

Box Score | Press Conferences

By Duane Cochran for MountainEast.org

WHEELING – Sixth-seeded Concord and third-seeded Frostburg State staged a couple of epic battles during the regular season which were decided by a total of a mere three points and both went in favor of the Bobcats.

Thursday afternoon after the first 20 minutes of their quarterfinal round meeting in the annual Mountain Conference Women’s Basketball Tournament here at WesBanco Arena it appeared as if the third go-round between the squads would be equally as memorable.

However, the Mountain Lions had other plans and were determined to avoid a sweep by Frostburg in the season series. Trailing by two entering the third quarter, Concord ramped up its defensive pressure in the form of a trapping press which gave the Bobcats some fits for a few minutes and consequently changed the course of the game.

The Mountain Lions forced nine Frostburg turnovers in the third quarter which directly resulted in seven steals, 17 points, a 60-51 lead heading into the final 10 minutes and eventually an 84-69 victory.

“When we go out there and have the right mindset we’re a team to be reckoned with,” Concord’s Jazz Blankenship, who finished with 12 points, said. “We feed off of our defense. Once we started getting stops our offensive got going and we played with a lot more confidence in the second half.

“Being able to switch defenses on them like we did, I think, bothered their legs. We all bought in and were really ready to play in the second half. Not saying we weren’t ready in the first half, but early in the second half really turned things around for us.”

Once Concord got the lead to nine, Frostburg never got any closer than eight points the rest of the game and that came at the 9:13 mark of the final quarter.

“We’ve been practicing all week for their press,” said Bobcats’ coach Jenna Eckleberry. “We knew they were going to change up between trap first pass and the 1-3-1. We prepped. We were ready for it and had a game plan. Then boom it comes out and just hits you and before you can change to press offense or call a timeout it’s a seven-point swing right away off of two quick steals.

“When those steals happened I looked at coach Marley (McLaughlin) and said ‘that might have just been the ball game.’ The points obviously hurt, but those plays really pumped them up and ignited them for the rest of the game.”

The victory improved Concord to 17-12 on the year and put the Mountain Lions in the league semifinals Saturday against second-seeded West Virginia State (20-9) at 2:30 p.m. Neither Concord nor West Virginia State have ever played for an MEC Tournament championship.

Frostburg, on the other hand, ended its season at 18-11. Under second-year coach Eckleberry, the Bobcats improved by nine victories this season.

Forward Abbie Smith led Concord with a career-high tying 30-point performance Thursday against Frostburg. Smith scored 17 of her 30 points in the second half. She also grabbed a team-high nine rebounds.

The Mountain Lions also got 12 points from Skylar Davidson, 10 points and seven rebounds from Alexis Phillips and eight points, seven rebounds and six steals from Nakaila Gray. Gray’s six steals were the second-most in a single game in MEC Tournament history.

“These kids are so resilient and so tough,” said Concord coach Tesla Southcott, who very recently gave berth to her second child. “All the credit for this win goes to these kids and my assistant Madison Heller.

“It’s been a tough week for our program as well as a happy week. When they’re in the mindset like they were today it’s fun to coach them.”

Frostburg was led by MEC Player of the Year Emilee Weakley’s 18 points. The Bobcats also got 16 points from Maggie Sharp, 10 from Mandy Roman and four points, a game-high 12 rebounds and three blocked shots from Jasmine Johnson.

“It’s been a crazy ride this year,” Weakley said. “Last year we did not have a winning season. We went from that to a very successful season and a chance to be regular-season champions. We believe our future is bright.”

#1 Fairmont State def. #9 West Virginia Wesleyan, 66-56

Box Score | Press Conferences

By Duane Cochran for MountainEast.org

WHEELING – Top-seeded and Mountain East Conference regular-season champion Fairmont State used a very workmanlike effort Thursday night to defeat ninth-seeded West Virginia Wesleyan, 66-56, in the quarterfinals of the annual MEC Women’s Basketball Tournament here at WesBanco Arena.

The victory was the eighth in a row for the Falcons and improves them to 24-5. Fairmont will play in the semifinals Saturday at noon against fourth-seeded University of Charleston, which eliminated fifth-seeded Wheeling Thursday evening, 62-60.

“I’ve said all year I love how much heart our team plays with,” Fairmont State coach Stephanie Anderson said. “I think they wanted it so bad that at first we had to learn to just relax and play.

“I was extremely proud of them for the way they bounced back tonight, handled runs, made tough shots when they had to and got defensive stops when we needed them.

“I want to congratulate (Wesleyan coach) Brett (Vincent) and his team. I think he’s done a fantastic job with this group. They play extremely hard and execute very well. They gave us all they had for 40 minutes. They made us fight and made us earn it.”

Fairmont raced to a 12-2 lead in the game’s first six minutes to set the tone as Wesleyan struggled to find its shooting touch. Eventually the Falcons led by as many as 13 late in the second quarter before settling for a 10-point, 35-25 advantage at the half.

In the final two quarters Fairmont never led by more than 11 and never allowed the Bobcats to get any closer than five.

“It was a well played game on both sides, although we didn’t play real well to start,” Vincent said. “A lot of that had to do with them. They’re pretty good. They’re physical and aggressive and they have a lot of experience.

“Once we settled in we played better and gave ourselves a chance. The bottom line is they’re just better than we are. They’re better than a lot of people.”

Wesleyan’s Daveona Hatchell, who finished with 12 points, seven boards and four assists, agrees.

“They’re a hard team to match up with,” Hatchell said. “When you play them you almost have to play perfect. You have to dot your I’s and cross your T’s.

“We tried to battle all night. Take away that first quarter and we’re in it with a chance to win.”

Fairmont led 51-42 after three periods but the Bobcats opened the fourth with a quick 4-0 spurt to pull within five at 51-46. However, on this night any time Wesleyan made a threat FSU had an answer. Leslie Huffman, Alyssa DeAngelo and Aaliyah Bruney all scored on back-to-back-to-back driving layups to quickly push the margin back to 11 and for all intents and purposes the contest was over.

Fairmont scored 15 points in the fourth quarter, nine of which came from Huffman, who led the Falcons with 19 points.

“I had no idea I had that many points out of our last 15,” said Huffman with a laugh. “I just think in certain pressure situations so many teams are going to focus on Katie (Darnell) and Alyssa (DeAngelo) so much that it provides others on our team with opportunities. Tonight that was the case.

“My teammates did a good job of finding me and letting me show what I can do.”

Fairmont also got 13 points and seven rebounds from Darnell, 11 points from DeAngelo and six points, 11 rebounds, five steals and three blocks from Jalen Gibbs.

Wesleyan, which closed out its season with a 10-17 record, improved by five wins over last year and made its first MEC Tournament appearance this year since 2021.

The Bobcats got a game-high 25 points from Emma Witt. She also grabbed eight rebounds. In addition, Wesleyan got six points and a game-high 16 rebounds from Desiree Roy.

#4 Charleston def. #5 Wheeling, 62-60

Box Score | Press Conferences

WHEELING – The University of Charleston held off Wheeling, 62-60, in Thursday’s fourth women’s quarterfinal of the 2024 Mountain East Conference Basketball Tournament, presented by The Health Plan.

With the win, the fourth-seeded Golden Eagles will meet top-seeded Fairmont State in Saturday’s first semifinal. Tip is set for 12 noon at WesBanco Arena.

The Golden Eagles scored the final five points of the third quarter and opened the fourth with jumpers from Clarrissa Francis and Ksenija Mitric to grab a 50-43 advantage with 8:45 remaining.

Following a Nia Vanzant layup at the 7:50 mark, UC maintained a seven-point advantage (54-47). However, Wheeling scored on three-consecutive possessions, including back-to-back three by Shamia Strayhorn and Briarley Rogers to take a one-point lead with 5:16 remaining.

From that point, neither team led by more than three.

With Wheeling leading 57-56 following a layup by Kenzie Dalton, Charleston scored six of the next eight points to take the lead for good. Paris Stokes and Francis scored on back-to-back possessions to put UC up by three, but Wheeling’s Graci Fairman answered and cut the Golden Eagle lead to one (60-59).

On the next possession, Charleston’s Taylor Austin dropped in a layup to make the margin 62-59 with three seconds remaining.

Wheeling’s Jacqui Hinesmon went 1-for-2 from the line after Charleston fouled to prevent a 3-point attempt, and Charleston was able to run the clock out for the quarterfinal win.

Statistically, the game was even in nearly every category. Wheeling shot 45 percent from the floor (23-51), while Charleston shot 43 percent from the floor (26-61).

Charleston held an advantage in the paint, outrebounding Wheeling 39-29, and outscoring the Cardinals 42-24 in the post. UC also had 14 offensive rebounds and 10 second-chance points.

Vanzant led the Golden Eagles with 13 points and five rebounds. Francis chipped in nine points and four rebounds, while Austin, Mitric and Stokes scored eight apiece.

Wheeling got a team-high 11 points and seven rebounds from Rachel Wilson, while Strayhorn added 10 points and four rebounds. Rogers and Fairman also scored nine points apiece.

Thursday night’s game featured eight ties and seven lead changes.