MEC Women’s Basketball Roundup: Russell Leads Charleston Past Glenville State

Charleston’s Erykah Russell scored 43 points to lead the Golden Eagles to a 91-86 win on the road Sunday at Glenville State — the first home loss for the Pioneers since 2016.

UC (2-0) trailed by three at halftime but opened the third quarter on 14-0 run to take the lead then held off a late GSC rally to secure the win. Russell’s 19 made field goals were the third-most in a game in Mountain East Conference history, and she also chipped in with 16 rebounds. Teammate Brooklyn Pannell scored 24 points in the win for UC.

For Glenville (1-1), Zakiyah Winfield tallied 22 points, Taychaun Hubbard had a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds and Re’Shawna Stone finished with 18 points in the loss.

FROSTBURG STATE 66, WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN 63

Shelby Funchess hit a putback shot with 30 seconds to play to help get Frostburg State past the visiting Bobcats on Sunday.

Funchess grabbed an offensive rebound with the game tied 63-63 and put the ball in the hoop for the late lead. West Virginia Wesleyan missed a 3-pointer on the following possession and Frostburg followed with a foul shot to set the final score.

Frostburg State (2-0) trailed by as many as 11 points early in the second quarter before coming back for the win. Morgan Dombroski had a game-high 20 points for Frostburg while Rhianna Hilla scored 19 points and eight rebounds.

For Wesleyan (0-1), Malaika Kimmons had a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds while Brittany Stawovy also finished with 11 points in the loss.

NOTRE DAME COLLEGE 76, WHEELING 65

NDC’s Marina Adachi connected on six 3-pointers and finished with 20 points in a win against visiting Wheeling on Sunday.

Jada Marone chipped in with 19 points, seven assists and four steals for Notre Dame (2-0) in the win while Theresa Parr had 14 points, seven assists and five rebounds.

For Wheeling (1-1), Lilly Ritz scored 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the loss.

ALDERSON BROADDUS 73, WEST LIBERTY 66

The Hilltoppers led for much of the game before AB went on a fourth-quarter run to get the win at home.

The Battlers came back from a double-digit defecit in the second half to take a 61-59 lead on a Shay Harper jumper late in the fourth quarter then sealed it down the stretch with foul shots.

Iyahnna Williams led Alderson Broaddus with 14 points and grabbed six rebounds while Yolanda Florido scored 12 points with five rebounds.

For West Liberty (0-2), Sudrey Tingle finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Olivia Belknap also had 17 points for the Hilltoppers in the loss.

CONCORD 70, WEST VIRGINIA STATE 67

Concord opened the fourth quarter with an 11-2 run to get back in the game then battled the Yellow Jackets down the stretch to hold off the visitors for a close win.

Riley Fitzwater, who helped lead Gilmer County to the 2016 Class A girls basketball state championship, put the Mountain Lions ahead for good with 1:23 to play. Fitzwater finished Sunday’s game just shy of a triple-double with 26 points, 12 rebounds and eight blocks. Maggie Guynn also scored 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the win for CU (1-1).

Alexis Hall and Erin Whitehead each scored 12 points to lead WVSU (0-2), while Destiny Fields and Kalia Cummings each finished with 10 points in the loss.