Wheeling, W. Va. - The Wheeling University Women's Basketball team (6-7, 4-3) began the 2022-23 season with a bang, winning six of their first seven contests of the season. However, they have faced a tough stretch in their schedule, dropping their last six games while battling some of the top teams in NCAA Division II basketball. The Cardinals look to get back on track this weekend when they host Concord on Saturday with tip-off scheduled for 2 PM.
Last time out, the Cardinals took on #8 Glenville State, their third ranked opponent in their last six games, and dropped a tough battle 84-68. After falling to the Pioneers in the 2022 Mountain East Conference (MEC) quarterfinal round, the Cardinals were looking for revenge and hung around with the Pioneers trailing just 15-10 after one quarter. The Cardinals would score 18+ points in each of the final three quarters, including 40 points coming in the game's second half. Wheeling passed the ball around effectively throughout the game, with four different players finishing in double figures, but it wasn't enough as Glenville State put up 46 in the second half and came away with an 84-68 victory.
The Cardinals were once again led by the work of senior Lauren Calhoun, who recorded her seventh double-double of the 2022-23 season. She also continues her path to 1,000 career points, needing just 84 more to accomplish the feat. Calhoun has successfully built off last season's success, averaging 18.2 points per game this year while sitting at 11.5 rebounds per game. However, it is her defensive work that has her top marks in the MEC as she leads the conference in both rebounds (149) and rebounds per game (11.5). She also sits fourth in the conference in total points (237) and seventh in points per game (18.2) as she continues to be one of the best players in the conference.
It was also a career game for Jacqui Hinesmon, who set a new career-high with seven assists in the game to go along with 11 points scored. The senior was held to just three points over the game's first 30 minutes, but turned it on down the stretch, with eight points coming in the fourth quarter. She found her teammates throughout the game and created opportunities for the offense. The other two double figure scorers for the Cardinals were sophomore Shamia Strayhorn and freshman Graci Fairman, who finished with 12 and 11 points, respectively. Fairman has stepped up for the Cardinals in 2023, averaging 9.0 points per game over the last two contests after averaging just 4.1 points per game in the first 10 games of the season.
The loss on Saturday dropped Wheeling down to sixth place in the MEC standings, but they are still very much alive in the race for the top spot in the conference. They now sit two games behind Glenville State and Charleston for the top spot in the conference, and just a game behind West Liberty, Fairmont State, and West Virginia State for second place. With three of their next four games coming against teams sitting lower than them in the standings, the Cardinals look to take advantage and earn some ground back in the sprint to the 2023 MEC Tournament at WesBanco Arena.
The Matchup
The Cardinals and Mountain Lions will be meeting for the 34th time in program history, with the Cardinals leading the all-time series at 21-12. That success extends even further when the teams meet in Wheeling, with the Cardinals holding a 13-4 record on their home floor. The Cardinals have come out victorious in four of the last six meetings between the two teams, including a split of the season series last year, as they look to open 2022-23's series with a bang.
Their last matchup came on February 9th, 2022, in a game that Wheeling won 77-72 inside the Alma Grace McDonough Center. Shanley Woods had a career game in the effort, scoring 31 points, going 4-6 from three-point range, and 13-14 from the free throw line to lead the way. Lauren Calhoun finished with a double-double, scoring 11 points and 15 rebounds, while Jacqui Hinesmon added 12 points in the effort.
The Details
Tip-off for Saturday's game is scheduled for 2 PM inside the Alma Grace McDonough Center. You can watch the game live by clicking HERE or follow along with Live Stats by clicking HERE.
