January 7th, 2023 by WCBC Radio
The Frostburg State Women's Basketball team used a dominant offensive showing in a 94-81 victory over Alderson Broaddus to secure their first win of 2023.
Freshman Emilee Weakley got FSU going in the first minutes of the game with a layup and a triple either side of a jumper by senior Ciara Thomas to go up 7-3, to which the Battlers responded with back-to-back baskets that evened the score. The Bobcats locked in defensively from that moment, holding AB without a field goal for the next five minutes, which sparked an offensive explosion.
Senior Arianna Briggs-Hall fed Thomas on a bucket then scored herself to take a four-point advantage. Weakley scored Frostburg's next five points, followed by a pair of free throws by Briggs-Hall, then the freshman nailed two straight from downtown, racing out to a 24-10 lead. Alderson Broaddus finally got a shot from the field to go on a couple possessions, but freshman Carine Pinkney answered with a layup and Weakley made the most of a late trip to the charity stripe to take a commanding 28-15 lead into the first quarter break.
There would be no slowing down FSU's offense in the second period, as again the defense came up trumps, not allowing a made Battler field goal until the midway point of the quarter. Briggs-Hall started processions with an easy layup, then Pinkney made another pair of free throws followed by a transition three before a basket by graduate Shelby Funchess and back-to-back jumpers from junior Rhiana Hall preceded senior Maggie Sharp putting in two freebies as everyone seemed to get in on the scoring action to the tune of a 43-17 score.
AB's defense finally got itself going by holding Frostburg without a field goal for almost three minutes, but weren't able to make a dent in their deficit thanks to Weakley and Sharp making all four of their free throws in the scoring drought. Hall fired up the offense again with a long-range two, followed by yet another Weakley basket and Sharp putting the cherry on top of a near-perfect half with a late three to take a 54-26 lead into halftime.
Weakley recorded a first half double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds, as the team as a whole outrebounded the Battlers 29-14 while forcing 12 turnovers.
For the first time in the game, Alderson Broaddus began the third quarter with the first basket, but immediately the Bobcats responded with a Briggs-Hall jumper and six straight free throws by Weakley. Briggs-Hall tacked on an and-one opportunity, allowing head coach Jenna Eckleberry to give some bench and role players a chance to shine. Sophomore Jasmine Johnson made the most of her opportunity, putting in a jumper and converting her old-fashioned three-point play at the line, though it would be the only made basket by FSU in the final five and a half minutes of the quarter. AB was able to string some offense together, though they still trailed 71-47 heading into the final frame of action.
With many of the Bobcat starters back in the game, Frostburg reasserted their offensive prowess, as Sharp, Weakley, and scored on the first four possessions of the fourth. Weakley continued to dominate, scoring six of FSU's next eight points, with Thomas chipping in before both getting a well-deserved rest in the final minutes. Johnson and Funchess put in the final four points of the game for the Bobcats to come away with the 94-81 decision.
The 94 points scored are the most in a single game for the team since putting up 100 against Hilbert on February 12, 2005. Weakley poured in 38 points, the fifth-most in a single game in program history and tied for the most points by an MEC player this season. She also grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds to go with three steals, while being joined in double-figure scoring by Sharp's 13 and Briggs-Hall's 11. Thomas and Pinkney tied each other with a game-high four assists apiece.
With the win, Frostburg improves to 4-10 on the year, while the Battlers fall to 3-10. The Bobcats continue their road trip on Wednesday, January 11 to face West Liberty at 5:30 p.m. Information and updates will be posted at frostburgsports.com.
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