WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. (Feb. 29) - The Wheeling women's basketball was defeated 81-73 at West Liberty in their Mountain East Conference (MEC) and regular-season finale Saturday at the ASRC.

The Cardinals conclude the regular-season at 10-18, 9-13 in the MEC. Wheeling has earned the No. 7 seed in the upcoming MEC Tournament and will open play on Wednesday, March 4 at noon against No. 10 seed Davis & Elkins inside the WesBanco Arena in downtown Wheeling. Meanwhile, the Hilltoppers finish at 12-16 overall, 8-14 in league play to earn the No. 8 seed.
 
Sophomore forward Lilly Ritz (Cambridge, Ohio/Cambridge) led the charge for the Cardinals with her 23rd double-double of the season. She posted 26 points and 17 rebounds and played all 40 minutes. Senior forward Lauren Lipscomb (Columbus, Ohio / Pickerington North) added 13 points, while senior guard Taliah Cashwell (South Charleston, W.Va. / South Charleston) scored 12 in the loss.
 
The two teams trading buckets throughout the first eight minutes of the game and the score was tied at 19-19 with 1:47 left in the first quarter. The Hilltoppers ended the period with consecutive baskets to take a 23-19 lead into the second.
 
Wheeling cut the deficit to three with 6:53 left on a Ritz layup that made the score 28-25. The Hilltoppers went on a 14-4 run over the next four minutes to build their lead to 13 points with 2:16 left in the first half. Freshman Jillian Hawks (North Canton, Ohio / North Canton Hoover) subbed into the game with two minutes until halftime and immediately made an impact. Wheeling closed out the half with seven-straight points, including five from Hawks, to slice the deficit down to 42-36 heading into the locker rooms.

West Liberty went on an 10-2 run to start the second half over the first three plus minutes and allowed it to take a 12-point lead with 6:47 remaining. The two teams traded buckets throughout the next five minutes and took a 67-53 lead going into the final quarter.
 
Wheeling made a run over the first five minutes of the fourth quarter. The Cardinals went on a 8-2 run that brought the Hilltopper lead down to 10, 75-65, at the final media timeout. Wheeling managed to get within nine, but the comeback efforts fell short.

The Cardinals led the turnover battle and forced West Liberty into 18, compared to the nine committed by Wheeling.

The Hilltoppers were led by senior guard Morgan Brunner's team-high 17 points, including 12 in the first half. Senior guard Audrey Tingle who posted a double double with 12 points and 14 rebounds in the win.
 
Wheeling is back in action on Wednesday, March 4 when they begin play in the MEC Tournament at WesBanco Arena against Davis & Elkins at 12 p.m.