Wheeling, W. Va. – As they enter the final week of Mountain East Conference (MEC) play in the first half, the Wheeling University Women's Basketball team (5-4, 2-1) is looking to get back in the win column. They will get to try to do just that on their home floor when they take on West Virginia State at 5:30 PM. With a pair of tough opponents ahead this week, the Cardinals look to end the first half conference schedule with a bang.
Last time out, the Cardinals hosted West Virginia Wesleyan in just their third home game of the season. The Bobcats showed why they hold the number one spot in the MEC early on, holding the Cardinals to single-digit points in the opening quarter. Wheeling needed a bounce back, and did just that, shooting 40% from the floor, while putting up 17 points during the second quarter. While it was a strong push, it wasn't enough to overcome the early deficit, and the Cardinals went into the halftime break trailing 32-26. The Cardinals began to battle back in the second half, overtaking the Bobcats at the 6:27 mark of the quarter. Wheeling would shoot 50% from the floor in the quarter, but it was too little too late as West Virginia Wesleyan went on to win by the final score of 71-59.
While the Cardinals have been driven by their young talent this season, graduate student Mah Minthe has been one of the players driving the success recently. Minthe tied for the team lead with 14 points off the bench, while being the Cardinal's most efficient shooter, going 5-10 (50%) from the floor. Monthe has played a bigger and bigger role off the bench over the past five games, hitting double digits in three of those five games. She is averaging 9.4 PPG during that stretch while shooting 47.3% from the floor. While it is Minthe's first season with the Cardinals, she has a lot of basketball experience and looks to be a leader for this Cardinal's team down the stretch.
Freshman Kristel Rattasepp continued her strong freshman season, tying with Minthe for the team lead with 14 points. The key to her success was her efficiency from beyond the arc, where she led the Cardinals, going 3-5 (60%), hitting several big shots when her team needed her. She has been hot from three over the past four games, going 7-12 (58.3%) from three-point range during that stretch. Spreading the ball around for the Cardinal offense was Kenzie Dalton, who led the team with five assists. While she doesn't put up the highest scoring games, Dalton has been the leader for the Cardinals throughout the season. She finished with eight points, four rebounds, and five assists while playing 38 minutes. She has been a constant for the team throughout the season and looks to continue leading the way.
As they enter the final week of MEC play in the first half of the season, the Cardinals are looking to bounce back and gain momentum. They currently sit right in the middle of the pack in the MEC standings at 2-1, sitting tied for fourth with Glenville State and West Liberty. Each of their two opponents this week sit below them in the current conference standings, and the Cardinals are looking to continue moving towards the top of the conference. They currently sit a game and a half behind West Virginia Wesleyan, while holding a half game advantage over West Virginia State. A win on Wednesday would set the team up for success as they head towards the Christmas break.
The Matchup
The Cardinals and Yellow Jackets will be meeting for the 36th time in program history on Wednesday night, with Wheeling holding a slight advantage at 18-17. Wheeling has faired better at home against West Virginia State, going 9-7, and has averaged 71.57 points per game in the all-time series. Recently, the series has been split right down the middle, with Wheeling taking two games and West Virginia State taking two games in the last four matchups.
Their most recent meeting came on February 3rd, 2024, when the Cardinals fell to the Yellow Jackets on the road 73-65. Wheeling was led by former Cardinal Jacqui Hinesmon, who finished with 14 points, three rebounds, and four assists on the night. Wheeling had two other players in double figures, with former Cardinal Shamia Strayhorn (13) and Graci Fairman (10) each hitting the mark, while Strayhorn led the team with six rebounds and five assists.
The Details
Tip-off for Wednesday night's game is scheduled for 5:30 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.
