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Weekend Preview – WJU Women Host Shepherd on Saturday

By: Michael McDonald, Assistant Sports Information Director
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Women's Basketball | 2/3/2017 10:13:00 AM

WHEELING, W.Va. – The Wheeling Jesuit basketball teams host the Shepherd Rams Saturday afternoon in what will be an exciting afternoon of basketball. The Cardinals welcome any student from a Catholic school in the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston to wear a shirt from their school to receive free admission to the basketball games. The Cardinal women host the Rams at 2 o'clock and the men's basketball team follows in a 4 p.m. tip-off. All students attending will be recognized during halftime of the games.
 
Women's preview:
The Wheeling Jesuit women host the Shepherd Rams in the Alma Grace McDonough Center Saturday afternoon in the second of the yearly meetings between the two Mountain East Conference opponents.
 
Since the creation of the MEC in 2013, WJU occupies a 7-1 mark against Shepherd, including a 3-0 record on their home court. In the first meeting of the 2016-17 season, WJU outlasted the Rams, 78-69, behind Monica Burns' 20 points and six assists. Jaana Motton chipped in 18 points and 12 rebounds, one of her league-best nine double-doubles on the season. Shepherd was led by Morgan Arden's 24 points.
 
The Cardinals enter the contest riding the momentum of back-to-back road victories, including a 74-48 win at Charleston and knocking off the Fairmont State Falcons on their home court, 62-58. Burns increased her season high in points over the last two outings, scoring 24 points at Charleston followed by 25 in Fairmont.
 
On the season, Burns ranks fifth in the conference in scoring (16.3 ppg) and leads the MEC in free throw percentage (91.5%), three-point percentage (42.5%), and 20-point games (10). Motton sits eight points away from reaching the 1,000-point career mark, and averages 12.6 points and 9.6 rebounds while leading the league in double-doubles (9). Each of Motton's double-doubles have come since the last meeting with Shepherd (12-3-16). Mariah Callen runs the Cardinal offense while averaging 13.3 points (16th in MEC) and 4.86 assists (4th in MEC).
 
As a team, the Cardinals have held two-consecutive opponents under 60 points and rank first in scoring defense on the year, allowing 62.2 points per game. The WJU offense averages 72.5 points, leading to a scoring margin of 10.3, second best in the league.
 
Shepherd enters Saturday on a one game win streak as the Rams outlasted the Hilltoppers, 73-68 on Wednesday. Arden leads the way with 13.3 points while Cara Mason chips in 10.8 points and 3.7 rebounds. Liz Myers adds 9.9 points and 8.2 rebounds to the mix. 
 
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Players Mentioned

Monica Burns

#13 Monica Burns

G
5' 6"
Redshirt Sophomore
Mariah Callen

#1 Mariah Callen

G
5' 4"
Junior
Jaana Motton

#42 Jaana Motton

F
5' 11"
Senior

Players Mentioned

Monica Burns

#13 Monica Burns

5' 6"
Redshirt Sophomore
G
Mariah Callen

#1 Mariah Callen

5' 4"
Junior
G
Jaana Motton

#42 Jaana Motton

5' 11"
Senior
F