Wheeling, W. Va. – In every season since joining the program during the 2019-20 season, this group of Wheeling University Women's Basketball (12-13, 10-9) has made at least the Quarterfinal round of the Mountain East Conference (MEC) Tournament. They will once again be heading to that Quarterfinal round, after clinching a first round bye, and the Cardinals will be honoring that senior class on Saturday when they take on Frostburg State at 2 PM. Lauren Calhoun, Jacqui Hinesmon, Emily Holzopfel, and Taylor Cullen will all make their walk across the Alma Grace McDonough Center gymnasium as they are honored for their time in a Cardinals uniform.

Last time out, the Cardinals hit the road for the third time in the last five games when they battled Fairmont State. The Cardinals offense got off to a hot start, scoring 10 of the game's first 15 points to get out in front. That hot start was enough to keep the Cardinals out in front as they led 14-13 after one quarter of play. The second quarter would flip the script, with Fairmont State scoring 14 points to Wheeling's 13 and the two teams headed into halftime with the score tied at 27-27. However, in the second half, the Falcons defense would end up getting the better of the Cardinals, holding them to just single digits over the final two quarters. In the end, Wheeling would fall 65-42, dropping them to 10-9 in conference play.

Leading the way for the Cardinals was Shamia Strayhorn, who continues her strong 2023 portion of the schedule. The sophomore finished with 13 points on the night while shooting 42.9% (6-14) from the floor. Strayhorn has turned it on down the stretch, bringing her season scoring average up to 8.3 points per game. She has been in double digits in five of the six games in February, including a stretch at the beginning of the month where she scored 16 or more points in back-to-back contests. As the Cardinals prepare for the 2023 MEC Tournament, Strayhorn will be a big factor in the Cardinal's gameplan as she supplements Lauren Calhoun and a strong Wheeling under the net presence.

Calhoun also had a strong showing coming off her career-high 36-point effort the game before against Glenville State. Calhoun would pick up her 18th double double of the season, finishing with 11 points and 13 rebounds, with five of those rebounds coming on the offensive side of the ball. Calhoun continues to climb the all-time scoring mark this season and enters Saturday's game with 1,134 career points, sitting seventh all-time. Jacqui Hinesmon also helped on the defensive end of the floor, finishing with eight rebounds, and scoring three points. While Hinesmon doesn't put up flashy numbers nigh in and night out, her leadership on the court has been a big key to her team's success this season.

With the first-round bye already wrapped up, the Cardinals are looking to finish the season strong and get momentum heading into WesBanco Arena. Wheeling has made at least the quarterfinal round in each of the last four seasons, including an MEC Quarterfinal appearance last season against Glenville State. This senior class has seen its fair share of success during their time in Cardinal's uniforms and looks to end their run with their first MEC Championship as a group. With three more games remaining in the regular season, the Cardinals are hoping to gain momentum and head into the tournament looking to make a run.

The Matchup

The Cardinals and Bobcats are meeting for the eighth time in program history on Saturday as they wrap up their 2022-23 season series. The Cardinals lead the all-time series, with a record of 6-1 in the first seven meetings that includes a 2-1 record in games played at the Alma Grace McDonough Center. The Cardinals have averaged 69.1 points per game in the all-time series, and they will be trying to avenge a loss at home to the Bobcats last season.

In their first meeting of the 2022-23 season, the Cardinals got the better of the Bobcats, picking up a 74-69 win on the road. Lauren Calhoun led the way with 21 points in the game and was one of three Cardinals to finish in double digits. Behind her was Shamia Strayhorn (15) and Jacqui Hinesmon (10) while Strayhorn added seven rebounds to her effort.

The Details

Tip-off for Saturday's game is scheduled for 2 PM, with senior day ceremonies beginning around 1:50 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