Box Score
 
WHEELING, W.Va. – A halftime lead and a late surge weren't enough for the Wheeling Jesuit women's basketball team to get past West Liberty on Thursday, dropping the rivalry game 68-67 in a packed McDonough Center.
 
WJU falls to 7-8 overall on the season and are now 4-7 against Mountain East Conference opponents.
 
The Cards were led by Jaila Bryant who went 6-12 from the field for 17 points before fouling out of the game mid-way through the second half. Also putting in big games for WJU in the paint was Jaana Motton who had 16 points in 19 minutes, and Taneka Lewis who made her return from a sprained ankle injury to put in 13 points and two assists in 19 minutes as well.
 
The first half was a physical foul-fest, with both teams going into the double bonus after just nine minutes, and totaling 25 combined fouls at the half. The Cardinals managed to run out to at 33-26 lead at the break.
 
WJU led by as many as 13 in the second half. The Toppers, however, clawed their way back late in the second half and tied the game with 7:48 remaining when #20 Liz Flowers was fouled shooting under the basket to earn a three-point play.
 
Down the stretch, the Cardinals hung tough, and the usually reliable Breanna Butler missed a three-point attempt with three seconds left on the clock that would have tied the game. The win was not to be however, and the Hilltoppers escaped the McDonough Center with the victory.  
 
"I thought the effort was outstanding tonight," said WJU head coach Debbie Buff. "We didn't give up on plays and we stuck to the game plan which was one of our goals. We were able to out-rebound them too, which was another one of our goals. If we keep meeting our goals, we'll go places."
 
The Cardinals return to the court at the McDonough Center on Saturday where they will try to get back in the conference win column when they will take on Notre Dame College at 2:00 PM.