Entering the final quarter of play, it was a close contest with the Cardinals clinging to a 41-37 lead. The Yellow Jackets started the quarter with a free throw, but Rachel Wilson added a jumper and the two teams traded three-pointers to put Wheeling ahead 46-41. However, the Yellow Jacket' defense would step up, keeping the Cardinals off the board for three minutes as they worked the score back to 46-45. A jumper and a layup by Jacqui Hinesmon would build the Cardinal's lead to 50-45 with just 3:11 showing on the clock, but West Virginia Wesleyan pulled off a 5-0 run as time expired. The two teams headed into overtime with the score tied at 50-50 as both teams would play their first overtime contest of the season.
 

West Virginia State would take the lead with a jumper by Emyah Fortenberry, but Wheeling quickly responded with three points of their own on a Kenzie Dalton free throw and a Wilson layup that made it a 53-52 game. The two teams continued to go back and forth until the score sat at 56-54 with just over 2:30 to play in the extra period. Both teams were looking for a run and the Cardinals would get it when Briarley Rogers hit a jumper to make it 58-54. It was part of an 8-0 run that slammed the final two and a half minutes and put Wheeling up 63-54. A Yellow Jacket jumper would hit just as the buzzer rang, but it wasn't enough as the Cardinals picked up their eighth straight victory and their fourth straight conference victory to start the season.
 

As they have for the past three games, it was a hot start for the Cardinals that got things going. Both sides of the ball were working as the defense held the opposition to single digits while the defense kept with their first quarter average putting up 22 points. It was Rogers who got things started from long range, hitting a three in the opening minute, and the Cardinals scored the first five points of the night. Through the first four minutes, West Virginia State would battle back and made it an 11-6 game . The Cardinals would end the quarter on a roll, scoring 11 of the final 13 points of the quarter to build a 22-9 advantage. In the second quarter, both defenses found their stride, with the two teams trading 16 points and heading to the locker room with Wheeling leading 30-17.
 

The Cardinals showed flashes of success in that first half, but after shooting 11% from the floor in the second quarter, the Cardinals were looking for a better performance in the second half. The strong defensive effort from the second quarter continued into the third as there were just two baskets hit in the first four minutes of the new half. Shamia Strayhorn broke the drought with a jumper and Hinesmon added a layup as the Cardinals went up 35-21. However, for the first time on the night, the Cardinals were outscored 20-11 and held the 41-37 advantage heading to the fourth quarter. The Yellow Jackets continued their trend into the fourth quarter, forcing the overtime period as the Cardinals fought for their victory.
 

Leading the way for the Cardinals was redshirt sophomore Rachel Wilson, who set a new career-high with 17 points on the night. She shot an impressive 61.5% from the floor while also leading the defensive effort with eight rebounds on the night. The Cardinals had three other double digit scorers on the afternoon, with Briarley Rogers (13), Jacqui Hinesmon (12), and Shamia Strayhorn (11) each hitting the mark. Rogers led the way with two three-pointers on the night, while Hinesmon set a new season-high with five assists. Leading the way in that passing game was Kenzie Dalton, who finished with a team-high six assists to round out the night.
 

The Wheeling University Women's Basketball team returns to action on Saturday, December 9th, when they host Charleston at 2 PM.