Five Reach Double Figures in Women's Basketball's Convincing Win Over Hilltoppers

FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State Women's Basketball team started off 2025 with a dominant win over West Liberty in Bobcat Arena on Wednesday evening by a final score of 103-72.
 
Senior Taylor Smith dropped in the first bucket of the night for either team with a runner in the lane, before fellow senior Jasmine Johnson scored on Frostburg's next trip down the court with a jumper in the corner.  After racking up two assists, graduate Sarah Shamdeen sunk two free throws at the line to push the Bobcats ahead 6-0.  A slow two minutes for both squads kept the game at 6-0, before Shamdeen converted a layup underneath.  Still holding West Liberty to no points, the Hilltoppers were finally able to burst through for a score after a put-back layup around the 5:22 mark.  Shamdeen and sophomore Alanna Tate worked to keep FSU in front and on the board, as WLU was able to secure a three from deep for a 12-7 game.  The Bobcats outscored West Liberty to end the quarter, putting the contest at a 22-16 score to end the first. 
 
The Hilltoppers coughed up a turnover to start the second, as senior Emilee Weakley knocked down a mid-range jumper to open up the scoring.  Freshman Julie Spinelli followed with a jumper of her own, as WLU sunk a trey for their first score of the quarter.  Johnson saw back-to-back buckets to increase the score to 30-19, as four consecutive points from Weakley moved the game to 34-22.  Shamdeen and Smith traded buckets with West Liberty, starting a 10-2 run for Frostburg.  Tate and Spinelli sprinkled in a layup each, seeing the score at a 46-29 margin.  Senior Harley Herndon kept the momentum going for the Bobcats, putting in a tough layup of her own, as Spinelli and Tate followed with four straight points for a 52-31 score.  WLU showed the final points of the half with just a few seconds left, putting the game at a 53-35 differential at the break. 
 
Weakley again knocked down the first points of the quarter, as the Hilltoppers answered right back with a basket of their own.  Shamdeen was credited with another layup, before WLU rallied for a 12-3 run to get the third going.  West Liberty cut the game to eight, but a layup from Spinelli in the paint put Frostburg right back up by double digits.  A tough bucket from Smith and a three from Weakley kept FSU ahead, moving the Bobcat's lead to 12.  Herndon and Weakley were credited with the next two scores for Frostburg, seeing the game now at 71-55.  To round out the quarter with the momentum on FSU's side, freshman Ayla Hileman checked in and found her spot in the corner, as Smith fed her for a triple right before the third quarter buzzer, setting a 74-57 game heading into the fourth.
 
WLU saw the first points of the fourth from the charity stripe, as Weakley laid in the first score for Frostburg around a minute later.  This sparked a 10-0 run from the Bobcats in the final quarter of play, with Weakley seeing six points of her own.  West Liberty broke their silence off a tip-in, but Shamdeen responded on the other end with a weaving layup.  Both teams swapped turnovers and steals as the quarter went on, until again Shamdeen was given another layup inside for an 88-61 game.  Tate and Spinelli both found themselves with another layup as well, as Weakley went on a 7-0 run herself to advance the Bobcat's advantage to 99-64 with 3:33 left to play.  With everything clicking for FSU, as it did most of the game, Tate sunk two free throws to hit triple digits for Frostburg the first time this season.  As time rounded out, freshman Laekyn Flinn put up the final points of the night for FSU, leaving the game at a 103-72. 
 
Weakley led all scorers with 34 points, shooting 12-for-20 from the floor and a perfect 9-for-9 from the free throw line.  Spinelli and Shamdeen each finished with 14 points, while Smith added 11 and Tate provided 10.  Johnson pulled down a game-high nine rebounds, while Spinelli was next with six.  Smith dished out a game-high six assists, while Weakley was credited with a game-high five steals. 
 
With the win, Frostburg improves to 9-4 on the season while West Liberty drops to 5-8.  The Bobcats are back in action on Saturday, January 11 as the team goes on the road to take on Wheeling at 2 PM.  For more information and updates, please visit frostbugsports.com.