WHEELING, W.Va. – The lone Cardinals senior made her final appearance on the McDonough Center floor count. Mariah Callen guided Wheeling Jesuit past West Virginia Wesleyan women's basketball, 81-78, behind a career-high 31-point effort.
After leading by double digits for the majority of the game, the Cardinals (12-14/10-10 Mountain East Conference) saw the Bobcats (8-18/6-14 MEC) storm back in the fourth quarter and take a three-point lead, 7-73, with 2:46 left in the game. Callen, though, would not be denied one last home win as she knifed through the lane for one final layup with 37 seconds left to put WJU back on top for good, 79-78. Following one defensive stop, Monica Burns sealed the victory with two free throws at four seconds.
"I could not have scripted today any better for Mariah. She refused to lose today," said WJU head coach Debbie Buff. "She is every coaches dream as a player and person. Our team stepped up when we needed them to. I have been blessed having coached her over the past four years."
Callen put the Cardinals engine in gear with 11 first-quarter points, before she added nine more and assisted on three other buckets in the game-deciding fourth frame. On the day, the senior made 11 of 19 from the floor, including four 3-pointers and all five foul shots, for the 31 points. She narrowly missed a triple double as the 5-4 point guard tied a career-high of nine rebounds and handed out seven assists.
Burns added 17 points, six boards and four assists to go with Callen in the backcourt. Lauren Lipscomb banked home all six of her field goal attempts for a career-high 14 points, including one to put WJU back on top at 77-76 with 1:54 lef, to go with five caroms and three assists.
Kiara Wade was big inside with 11 points and three rebounds, while Cassi Stein chipped in six points, four boards and five helpers.
For the Bobcats, Abi Gabuer did not miss any of her 11 field goal attempts for a team-high 24 points.
WJU committed only nine turnovers to 20 assists.
WJU ran out to a first-quarter lead of 29-11 and held a 44-32 advantage at halftime.
The Cardinals head on the road Wednesday, Feb. 21, heading into the final week of the regular season with a 5:30 p.m. contest at the Blue Knights of Urbana.
-GoCards-
