Box Score Canton, OH. – The Wheeling University Women's Basketball team (0-3, 0-0) hit the road yesterday for a non-conference match-up with Malone University. Unfortunately, the offense was unable to come through as they fell to the Pioneers 70-38 and now drop to 0-3 on the season.

Right at the start of the game, Malone got going offensively, scoring the first four points of the first quarter. However, before they could run away with things, Wheeling got a three-pointer from freshman Shamia Strayhorn that brought the game to a 4-3 score and got the Cardinals offense going. Both teams had trouble hitting the net over the next minute and a half, before Malone finally got their offense going. They went on an 8-2 run that opened the Pioneers lead to 12-5.  The Pioneers kept adding on, scoring six points over the final two minutes of the quarter, however, Wheeling went nearly score for score putting up six points of their own.

After the first 10 minutes, the score set at a very manageable 18-11, and Wheeling was within striking distance. That back and forth continued into the second quarter of the game, as Wheeling held that deficit to 22-16 at the 6:53 mark of the second quarter. The Cardinals marched closer as the clock eclipsed the five minute mark of the quarter as Wheeling made it 23-18. However, Malone would hit their stride over the final five minutes of that second quarter, going on a 19-1 run that moved the score to 42-19 as the team's broke for halftime. A three-pointer at the buzzer ended that run and sent Wheeling looking for answers.

As the third quarter went on, Wheeling was on the comeback train and had work to do being down 23 points. They started the third quarter strong, battling Malone to a 6-6 deadlock over the first four minutes. However, that only brought the score to 48-25, and Malone would continue their offensive push throughout the third quarter. The Pioneers went on a 9-4 run that brought the score to 57-29 with 2:35 left in the quarter. Wheeling would only be able to manage two more free throws from Strayhorn before the clock ran out, and the teams entered the final 10 minutes of play with Wheeling trailing 62-33.

Defense would rule the final ten minutes of the game, especially early on. In the first seven minutes of the quarter, the teams combined for 11 points with Malone taking a 6-5 advantage. Wheeling's defense put together one of their best performances of the season in that fourth quarter, holding the opposition to single digits for the first time. However, the offense was never able to officially get going, putting up just five points in the quarter and Malone went on tk win the game 70-38. It was the fewest points allowed by the Cardinals defense this season, as they look to build on that moving forward.

The Wheeling University Women's Basketball team is back in action on Saturday when they play their home and Mountain East Conference (MEC) opener against Notre Dame College at 2 PM.