GLENVILLE, W.Va. (Jan. 8) – The Wheeling University women's basketball team was handed a 125-81 loss at pre-season league-favorite Glenville State inside the Waco Center Wednesday evening. 

The Cardinals drop to 3-8 on the season and 2-4 in Mountain East Conference (MEC) play. Meanwhile, the Pioneers improve to 4-2 in league play, 8-2 overall.

Sophomore forward Lilly Ritz (Cambridge, Ohio/Cambridge) established a new season-high and led the Cardinals with 30 points and 14 rebounds in the loss. Senior guard Khira Burton (Cincinnati, Ohio/ Walnut Hills) totaled 22 points, including 20 in the second half alone.

Glenville State controlled the majority of the first quarter with its full-court pressure. Wheeling brought the Pioneer lead down to three, 17-14, on a basket-and-one by freshman guard Jillian Hawks (North Canton, Ohio/North Canton Hoover) with 4:14 remaining in the first quarter, before a Glenville 18-4 run gave the Pioneers a 32-18 lead heading into the second period.

Despite getting 20 points in the first half from Ritz, the Cardinals still starred at a 67-33 deficit going into the locker rooms.

Glenville State continued to apply heavy pressure in the second half and enjoyed at least a 30-point lead throughtout the second half on its way to the win.

The Pioneers had six players score in double figures, including a team-high 22 points from Re'Shawna Stone.

The Cardinals return home to the McDonough Center on Saturday, January 11 to face Concord in a MEC contest at 2 p.m.