Box Score WHEELING, W.Va.---The Wheeling Jesuit women's basketball team battled the WVIAC's No. 5 ranked University of Pitt-Johnstown at the Alma Grace McDonough Center on Saturday afternoon. The Cardinals' defense caused 24 turnovers, but a stellar shooting performance from beyond the 3-point arc gave the Mountain Cats a 74-64 victory.
 
Taneka Lewis led the Cardinals' offense with 13 points and added five rebounds while Jaila Bryant and Jamie Sobczak followed with 12 and 11, respectively. Bryant and Sobczak recorded six steals each and Sobczak pulled down seven rebounds. Alex Anderson added nine points and a team-high eight rebounds, and Emily Robinso had seven points. Kelsey Pacholke and Breanna Butler rounded out the scoring with six points apiece.
 
The Cardinals (7-15, 4-14 WVIAC) caused the Mountain Cats (13-9, 11-8 WVIAC) to commit 16 turnovers in the opening half, however, UPJ used a 75-percent shooting effort (6-for-8) from behind the 3-point arc for a 34-30 halftime lead. Jesuit trailed by as many as 12 points, 24-12, after a 10-0 run by UPJ. Wheeling Jesuit climbed back into the game by causing three consecutive turnovers to cut the Mountain Cat lead in half, 24-18. The Jesuit defense continued to pressure the UPJ offense, narrowing the deficit to 31-30 after back-to-back lay-ins by Pacholke and Sobczak. UPJ immediately responded with a 3-pointer to push the lead back to four points before the buzzer sounded, 34-30. Sobczak recorded five steals in the opening frame while Bryant and Lewis followed with three and one, respectively.
 
After the break, the Mountain Cats extended the to 38-30 on the first two possessions, and led by as many as 16 points, 41-57 at the 10-minute mark. The Cardinals battled back with a 7-0 run with a pair of layups by Lewis and Anderson followed by a 3-pointer from Butler, 59-50. Jesuit matched UPJ shot-for-shot over the next four minutes, and a pair of consecutive lay-ins by Bryant and Anderson cut the lead to five points, 64-59, with 3:47 left to play in the game. UPJ responded with a 3-pointer and midrange jumper by Kelsey Sleighter to push the lead back to 10 points, 69-59, and the Mountain Cats held on for the win.
 
The Mountain Cats shot a blazing 59-percent (10-for-17) from long distance as Nicole Carmen recorded a double-double, leading the offense with 30 points and pulling down a team-high 10 rebounds. Sleighter followed with 16 points and Kaitlynn Fratz added 13 points.
 
The Cardinals will be back in action on Monday, February 18 on the road against Ohio Valley University. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.