Box Score  
WEST LIBERTY, W.Va.---The Wheeling Jesuit women's basketball team played to a 26-26 halftime stalemate against arch-rival West Liberty University on Saturday at the Academic Sports and Recreation Center (ASRC). However, the Hilltoppers used a 12-0 run in the second half for a 67-56 victory.
 
Taneka Lewis, Jaila Bryant and Alex Anderson led the Cardinals' offense with double digit scoring performances. Lewis recorded a team-high 17 points with seven rebounds and four steals while Bryant added 11 points three rebounds and two assists. Anderson followed with a double-double, grabbing a team-best 12 rebounds and scoring 10 points. Jamie Sobczak chipped in eight points, Breanna Butler and Racheal Smetzler scored four points apiece and Emily Robinson had two.
 
During the first half, the Cardinals and the Hilltoppers battle showcased nine tied scores and eight lead changes. Lewis opened the game with a pair of layups, and the Cardinals followed with eight free throws for a 12-9 advantage over the Hilltoppers. Lewis added two more lay-ins to make it 16-13, but the home squad retaliated with seven unanswered points for a 20-16 lead. Bryant and Smetzler combined for the next two buckets to even the contest at 20-20, and Anderson used a strong post move to lift WJU to a 24-22 lead. With 1:34 remaining in the half, Anderson gave the Cardinals their sixth lead of the night at 26-24; however, WLU found the bottom of the net with 1:05 left to play for a 26-26 tied score at halftime.
 
After the break, the seesaw battle continued as the two teams traded baskets for five minutes. WLU recorded the first bucket, and Sobczak answered for the Cardinals. Anderson and Sobczak followed with field goals while Lewis poured in two free throws and a jumper for a 34-32 Cardinal lead. WLU immediately tied the game and took a 36-34 lead with back-to-back lay-ins, but Lewis and Butler answered for the Cardinals as Lewis added a field goal and free throw. Butler added a field goal for a 39-36 WJU advantage. Bryant followed with a pair of free throws to make the score 41-38 in Jesuit's favor; however, the Hilltoppers responded with a 12-0 run for a 50-41 advantage and the Cardinals never recovered.
 
Wheeling Jesuit caused 18 turnovers in the season finale and recorded 14 steals. Lewis and Smetzler led with four steals apiece while Butler and Robinson followed with two each – Sobczak and Taylor Lubinsky had one steal each.  
 
The Cardinals finished regular season play with an overall record of 8-18 and 5-17 in league play while the Hilltoppers completed the season 19-7 and 17-5.
 
WJU will travel to the WVIAC's No.3 seeded team, Fairmont State University, for the opening round of the WVIAC Women's Basketball Tournament on Monday, February 25. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
 
 Full WVIAC Tournament Info