Wheeling, W. Va. - It was a special day inside the Alma Grace McDonough Center as the Wheeling University Women's Basketball team (16-10, 11-8) celebrated the 30-year anniversary of the 1994 WVIAC Championship team. The team established a culture of winning and the Cardinals continued to show that same spirit as they hosted Glenville State on Saturday. The Cardinals battled to overtime, but it wasn't enough as they fell to the Pioneers 97-90. 

With 2:15 to go in regulation, the Cardinals were trailing 77-69 as Graci Fairman came to the charity stripe. She hit a free throw that made it a 77-70 game as the Cardinals began a string of big shots from the free throw line. Shamia Strayhorn would go 4-4 and Briarley Rogers would add a 2-2 mark over the next minute as they cut the deficit to 81-76 with 1:17 to play. The defense needed a couple of big stops and they would get just that from graduate student Jacqui Hinesmon. Hinesmon would get a steal on the ensuing inbound and hit the layup to make it an 81-78 game. After a pair of Pioneer free throws, Kenzie Dalton would drive down the court and tip in a layup while drawing a foul for the three-point play. She converted on the free throw and the Cardinals cut the deficit to 83-81 with 1:06 left on the clock. 

On the next inbound, the Cardinals once again smacked the ball away and would get the ball back in their offensive zone with 34 seconds to play. The Cardinals had to draw up a play and they would get to the free throw line as Dalton drew a foul. She would have to hit both free throws to tie the game and she would do just that to tie things at 83-83. With one more Glenville State possession to go the Cardinals would have to get one more big stop. They would do just that as they graduate student came through again as Jacqui Hinesmon got the steal. 2.0 seconds remained on the regulation clock, but the Cardinals would end up heading to overtime with the game tied 83-83. It was the Cardinal's fourth overtime game of the season, with the Cardinals going 3-0 in the first three contests. 

As they entered the overtime period, Glenville State would come to the free throw line to start things off as Hya Haywood hit a pair of free throws. She added a three-pointer on the next possession and Glenville State would build an 88-83 lead before the Cardinals got back on the board. It would be Dalton who once again drew a foul and came to the free throw line as she nailed both free throws. It would start a short 5-0 Cardinal run as they tied the game at 88-88 with 2:44 to go in the extra period. Hinesmon would cap off the run with a three-point play and the teams would go back and forth. Shamia Strayhorn would hit a jumper at the 1:26 mark to make it a 91-90 Glenville State lead, but that would be the final points of the day for the Cardinals as they fell 97-90. 

It was a big day for the Cardinal's offense as five different girls finish with double digit points on the night. Leading the way was Shamia Strayhorn, who finished with 21 points on the night and nearly had a double-double with nine rebounds. It was the second straight game where Strayhorn went over the 20-point mark as she looks to hit her stride down the playoff stretch. The other near Cardinal double-double came from Briarley Rogers, who finished with 18 points and nine rebounds to tie Stayhorn for the lead on defense. Kadie Colebank had the best day of her collegiate career, setting a new career-best with 16 points while Graci Fairman (11) and Kenzie Dalton (10) rounded out the scoring effort. 

In the first half, it was a tale of two quarters as Glenville State came out strong before Wheeling punched back. Glenville State would get the first four points of the night as former Cardinal Lauren Calhoun got the scoring started and Rachel Wilson would hit a free throw to break the run. The Pioneers would extend their lead to 6-1 before the Cardinals hit a 5-3 run that made it a 9-6 game with 7:37 to play. However, Glenville State would outscore the Cardinals 28-16 as they took the lead heading into the second. The Cardinals would quickly flip the script in the second as Fairman his a three-pointer that sparked a 14-5 Cardinal run that lasted the first four minutes of the quarter to make it 33-32. Wheeling would get within striking distance and by halftime it was a 48-44 Glenville State lead. The second half saw Wheeling battle back and led to the overtime affair. 

The Wheeling University Women's Basketball team returns to action on Wednesday, February 28th, when they hit the road to face Salem at 5:30 PM.