Wheeling, W. Va. - Through the early portion of the season, the Wheeling University Women's Basketball team (1-3, 0-0) has been on the road. On Saturday, the Cardinals will enter the Alma Grace McDonough Center for the first time this season as they host Salem with tip-off at 4 PM. The Cardinals played well at home throughout the 2023-2024 season and look to continue that success as they begin the home portion of the 2024-2025 schedule.
Last time out, the Cardinals made their longest road trip of the season so far as they headed out to Crestview Hills, Kentucky to battle Thomas More. The Saints would get out to a fast start, scoring 22 first quarter points, and the Cardinals trailed 22-11 after one quarter. The Cardinals shot a game-high 40% from the floor in that first quarter and added a game-high 25% mark from three-point range. However, Thomas More was shooting just a bit better, hitting 50% or better in each of the four quarters. They led 43-22 at halftime and pushed that lead to 68-32 as the fourth quarter began. Wheeling would make their biggest push of the day over the final 10 minutes, putting 16 points on the board, but it wasn't enough as they fell to the Saints 77-48.
Leading the way for the Cardinals was graduate student Bryana Henderson, who put up a season-high 16 points on the night. Henderson was the Cardinal's most efficient shooter on the night, shooting 6-12 from the floor, including a 3-3 mark from the free throw line. She was also the team-leader with six rebounds on the night and added one assist to round out her day. Henderson fell just four points shy of her career-best 20-point effort last season and had her most efficient game of the season. After primarily coming off the bench for the team a season ago, Henderson has become a full-time starter for the Cardinals during her graduate year and looks to keep the success going as they kick-off the home schedule.
Wheeling has been led by a strong push from the freshman class, with Kristel Rattasepp leading the way. She finished with nine points last time out against Thomas More and is leading the Cardinals with 11.5 Points per Game. She has finished in double figures in two of her four games this season, including a 19-point effort in the team's win against Pitt-Johnstown. Emilia Sierra Lacosta started the season strong, with 19 points in the opener against Edinboro. She has been the Cardinal's top three-point shooter this season, shooting 33.3% from the floor. The Cardinals look to continue relying on their freshman to lead the way as the season goes on.
After playing on the road so much early in the season, the Wheeling Women's Basketball team is entering their longest home stretch of the season. They will play four of their next six games on their home court, with one of those three being a MEC contest. Wheeling was an impressive 10-5 in 15 home games last season and has gone 17-12 since Kowalska took over as Head Coach during the 2022-2023 season. They averaged 71.6 PPG at home last season, compared to a 65.9 PPG mark on the road. The Cardinal's offense looks to continue their home success this season as they begin their home stretch in non-conference play.
The Matchup
The Cardinals and Tigers are meeting for the 26th time in program history, with the Cardinals leading the all-time matchup with a record of 24-1. It will be the Tiger's 12th trip to the Alma Grace McDonough Center, where the Cardinals are 11-0 in 11 previous meetings. The Cardinals have won four of the last five meetings between the two teams, with the only loss in that span coming during the 2022-2023 season.
The two teams last met on February 28th, 2024, when the Cardinals picked up a 73-51 win on the road. Former Cardinal Briarley Rogers led the way with 23 points and added five rebounds in the winning effort. Former Cardinal Shamia Strayhorn and Rachel Wilson each added 15 points, while Kenzie Dalton led the way with eight rebounds on the day.
The Details
Tip-off for Saturday afternoon'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.
