Women's Basketball 3/5/2017 3:20:00 PM Michael McDonald, Assistant Sports Information Director

Cardinals Fly Past Falcons, Repeat as MEC Champs

Box Score CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The Wheeling Jesuit Cardinals truly took care of business Sunday afternoon. In the 2017 Mountain East Conference Championship, WJU and Fairmont State were tied for the first 32 seconds, but the Cardinals would lead for the remaining 39 minutes and 28 seconds of play, claiming its second consecutive MEC tournament title.

WJU assisted on 23 of 26 made field goals while shooting 52 percent from the field, 56 percent from three, and 86 percent from the free throw line.

"Our goal this season was to go back-to-back as champions for the first time in the MEC, and we did it! We were extremely calm before the game, and we kept talking about believing in ourselves," WJU Head Coach Debbie Buff stressed. "Our zone offense and defense was outstanding, and we shared the ball tremendously. I could not be happier for the team."

Monica Burns, Kylie Frizell and Jaana Motton earned a spot on the 2017 All-Tournament team, with Motton taking home the Most Valuable Player hardware.

Wheeling Jesuit rushed out of the gate, firing on all cylinders. The Cardinals led 11-3 just four and a half minutes into the action, forcing a Fairmont State timeout. Motton scored six of the 11 points, Frizell hit a three, and Mariah Callen a layup.

The Cardinals extended their lead to 12 points, 16-4, when Burns drained a three with 3:13 remaining. Fairmont would claim the next seven points, pulling to within five, 16-11. As time expired in the first, Lydia Hyburg spun past her defender in the post, putting WJU ahead by seven, 18-11.

Hyburg began the second period with consecutive buckets for the Cardinals, pushing their lead to nine, 22-13.

Frizell scored eight consecutive points for the Cardinals over a two-minute span, pushing WJU ahead 30-20 going into the media timeout.

Out of the timeout, Callen knocked down a pair of threes, and the WJU lead was 11, 36-25. Hyburg converted the last two hoops of the half for WJU, sending the Cardinals into the locker room ahead by 13, 40-27. In the first 20 minutes of action, the Cardinals assisted on 16 of 17 made field goals while shooting 60 percent from the field.

The Cardinals scored the first two buckets of the third quarter, a layup by Callen and Frizell each, forcing a Fairmont State timeout just 59 seconds into the period. Frizell went two of two from the line with six minutes on the clock, helping WJU to its first 20-point margin of the afternoon, 51-31.

WJU finished the third period seven of eight from the free-throw line and led 58-42 heading into the fourth quarter.

Burns started the final quarter in a familiar fashion – burying her first two looks from three and sending WJU ahead, 64-49. Motton and Chelsea Richardson added buckets on the next two possessions, growing WJU's lead to 17, 68-51.

Callen added another pair from the free-throw line and Frizell buried her fourth three-pointer of the game, helping WJU to its largest lead thus far, 22 points.

WJU held off Fairmont State over the final three minutes of play, clinching its second consecutive conference championship.

Frizell led all scorers with 19 points on 6-8 shooting. Callen and Burns each scored 17 points for the Cardinals while Motton added 13 points and Hyburg chipped in 12. Chelsea Richardson scored the remaining two points while grabbing eight rebounds and dishing out six assists.

The Cardinals find out their fate in the upcoming NCAA Atlantic Regional tournament tonight, March 5 during the 2017 NCAA Selection show, which airs at 10 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

#13 Monica Burns: G; 5' 6"; Redshirt Sophomore

#1 Mariah Callen: G; 5' 4"; Junior

#32 Kylie Frizell: G; 5' 10"; Senior

#33 Lydia Hyburg: F; 6' 2"; Senior

#42 Jaana Motton: F; 5' 11"; Senior

#11 Chelsea Richardson: G; 5' 9"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#13 Monica Burns
: 5' 6"; Redshirt Sophomore
: G

#1 Mariah Callen
: 5' 4"; Junior
: G

#32 Kylie Frizell
: 5' 10"; Senior
: G

#33 Lydia Hyburg
: 6' 2"; Senior
: F

#42 Jaana Motton
: 5' 11"; Senior
: F

#11 Chelsea Richardson
: 5' 9"; Senior
: G