Wheeling, W. Va. - On Monday, the Wheeling University Women's Basketball team (4-11, 4-7) picked up a big win against Fairmont State to improve to 4-7 in Mountain East Conference (MEC) play. They look to keep that momentum going on Wednesday when they hit the road to face West Virginia Wesleyan at 5:30 pm. It begins a stretch of three straight games where they face teams below them in the MEC standings as they look to climb the ladder in the division.
Monday's game was a makeup of a game that was supposed to be played back on January 12th but was postponed due to COVID-19 protocols. After a pair of slow starts in their previous two games, Wheeling came out strong and scored 21 first quarter points, the most they have scored in the first quarter of a game this season. They scored 15 or more points in each of the first three quarters of the game and led 56-49. The Falcons tried to fight back over the final 10 minutes of play, outscoring Wheeling 20-15, but it wasn't enough as Wheeling held on to win 71-69.
A lot of Wheeling's success in that game was thanks to the efforts of junior Lauren Calhoun, who picked up her seventh double-double of the season. She fell one point shy of her season-high with 25 points on the night and led the defense with 21 rebounds. It was the second time this season that Calhoun eclipsed the 20 rebound mark this season and the ninth time she has gone over the 20-point mark. She leads the MEC in Points Per Game (18.5) this season and is third in the conference in points (278) as she continues her breakout season for the Cardinals.
Calhoun was supported by a pair of freshmen who each played a big part in their team's victory. Shamia Strayhorn was the only other Cardinal to finish the day in double digits with 12 points and finished the night leading the team with three assists. Fellow freshman Ally Ziegler set her new career high in points, finishing with nine on the night. She was a perfect 4-4 from the field and made her only free throw of the night. She only played eight minutes on the night, but she made the most of her opportunities.
With the win on Monday, Wheeling now improved to 4-7 in MEC play and sits in ninth place in the conference. They are one game behind Alderson Broaddus for eighth and two games behind Notre Dame College for seventh. With the season moving into the end of January, Wheeling is beginning to make their push for the MEC playoffs. They have won two of their last three games and are continuing their stretch of seven games in 14 days. They look to continue their string of success and position themselves for a playoff run.
The Matchup
Wednesday marks the 33rd time these two teams have faced each other, and Wheeling has had the advantage with a record of 18-14 against the Bobcats. However, when the game is played in Buckhannon, West Virginia, the Cardinals are 7-10 against West Virginia Wesleyan. Wheeling has averaged 65.94 points per game in those previous 32 matchups, with the last one being one of the most intense in the series.
It came back on December 4th in a game that Wheeling won 52-51 on a half court buzzer beater. Wheeling was trailing 51-49 with just over 10 seconds to play when Shamia Strayhorn put up a shot from the Volleyball line. IT sank through and Wheeling was able to get the dramatic victory. Strayhorn finished with six points in the game but made the biggest shot of the night. Lauren Calhoun led the scoring with 20 points and Jacqui Hinesmon added 10 points in the win.
The Details
Tip-off for Wednesday night's matchup is scheduled for 5:30 pm on the campus of West Virginia Wesleyan. You can watch the game live by clicking HERE or follow along with Live Stats by clicking HERE.
