Fourth Quarter Comeback Not Enough in Women's Basketball's Loss to Wesleyan

FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State Women's Basketball team dropped their conference game against West Virginia Wesleyan on Tuesday evening with a final score of 75-66 at home. 
 
Wesleyan got the scoring going with a layup in the paint off the jump ball.  A quick three, followed by a jumper, put WVWC out in front 7-0 in the first minute of play, forcing Frostburg to call an early timeout.  Senior Emilee Weakley dropped in the first points of the game for FSU with a mid-range jumper out of the timeout, but Wesleyan stayed hot from behind the arch, sinking in another three for a 10-2 game.  Graduate Sarah Shamdeen added a point to Frostburg's score with a one-for-two trip from the free throw line, before buckets from Weakley and senior Jasmine Johnson put FSU within three under the midway mark of the first.  Both teams swapped points to end the quarter, with WVWC putting in the last bucket of the first for a 16-11 lead after the first 15 minutes of play. 
 
A layup from Weakley brought Frostburg within three once again, as WVWC knotted two threes to go up by six, with senior Taylor Smith knocking one down for FSU.  Over the next span of minutes, Wesleyan pushed their lead to 10, as Frostburg struggled to get an easy basket.  Shamdeen laid in a bucket around the 3:48 mark of the quarter to see the score at 26-18, but WVWC answered right back with a score of their own to sit their lead at double digits again.  Wesleyan knotted two more scores to increase their advantage to 14, until sophomore Alanna Tate got FSU on the board with a driving layup in the paint.  Staying hot, and getting everything to click on offense, WVWC put in another shot from deep to extend the game to 35-20.  Smith put up the final Frostburg points of the half, sending the game into the break with a 38-22 score. 
 
Wesleyan carried their momentum into the third quarter, taking the first four points of the half to bump their lead to 20.  Sophomore Jenna Muha got in on the scoring action with a tough bucket in the paint, as Johnson was able to do the same on the next score for FSU.  Muha and Johnson carried Frostburg to a 14 point deficit, as Johnson then connected on two free throws to see a 12-point game with 3:35 left in the third.  WVWC had seen enough, getting their rhythm back on offense, knocking down a trey to put the score at 49-34.  Weakley then sunk two free throws, but Wesleyan ended the quarter with a 6-0 run, seeing their advantage at 55-36. 
 
Johnson tipped in the first points of the fourth, as Shamdeen was given to more free throws.  WVWC sunk another three from deep to open up their scoring in the fourth, as Weakley responded with a three herself from the top of the key.  Shamdeen found Weakley for another three on FSU's next look at offense, bringing the game to a 14-point differential.  Wesleyan continued to be just one step ahead, answering every shot Frostburg made.  With around 3:31 left in regulation, FSU put their foot on the gas, as Weakley knocked down five straight points, forcing WVWC to take a timeout.  FSU set up their press out of the timeout, as Weakley was able to rack up a steal and layup for a 12-point game.  Weakley and Tate were credited with back-to-back steals and layups off FSU's press, cutting their deficit to just seven with 2:15 left to play.  Out of another WVWC timeout, Tate picked up another steal and a layup for a 67-62 game, before getting the rebound on Wesleyan's next missed shot and taking it down court for another layup and just a three point game.  WVWC was able to secure a big layup as time winded down, as a three-point miss from FSU gave Wesleyan the ball back.  With nothing left to do but foul, Frostburg was forced to give WVWC points at the foul line, as time was just cut short for FSU, with Wesleyan being able to hang on for the 75-66 win. 
 
Weakley scored a team-high 30 points on 11-for-14 shooting, while also pulling in six rebounds.  Johnson was next with 12 points and three rebounds, while Tate finished with eight points.  Muha grabbed a team-high nine rebounds, while Smith dished out a team-high six assists. 
 
With the loss, Frostburg falls to 4-3 on the season, while Wesleyan moves to 5-1.  FSU is back in action on Wednesday, December 4, when the team travels to Charleston (WV) for a 5:30 PM contest.  For more information and updates, please visit frostburgsports.com.