Wheeling, W. Va. - With a Mountain East Conference (MEC) Tournament spot locked up, the battle for seedling begins for the Wheeling University Women's Basketball team (15-6, 10-4). They begin the battle on Saturday when they hit the road to face Davis & Elkins college with tip-off at 2 PM. They enter play on Saturday tied atop the MEC with Fairmont State and look to keep their winning ways going as they chase down the #1 seed in the tournament at WesBanco Arena.
Last time out, the Cardinals clinched their spot at WesBanco arena as they hosted West Virginia Wesleyan. The Cardinal's defense was the star of the night, allowing a season-low 42 points on the night. For the first nine minutes of play, the Cardinals allowed just two Bobcat points and were able to build a 17-5 lead after one quarter. The team's defensive success would continue into the second quarter, as they allowed single-digit points for the second straight quarter and went into halftime leading 29-12. Both teams' offenses would adjust in the second half, but the early lead built by the Cardinals led them to victory. They got to dip into some of their depth and won by the final score of 65-42.
The Cardinals got the chance to dip into their bench depth, with every player who was dressed seeing action on the court. The defense reigned supreme throughout the day, with the Cardinals holding West Virginia Wesleyan to just a 29.1 shooting percentage on the day and did not allow them to shoot over 28% in three of the four quarters. During the first quarter, the Cardinals held their opposition to a season-low 16.67% from the field and created five turnovers in the quarter. They finished the night with 20 turnovers forced and scored 14 points off those turnovers. The effort dropped their season points allowed average to 62.4 PPG and have allowed four fewer points per game than the next closest team.
On the offensive side, the Cardinals were led by junior Shamia Strayhorn, who finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds for her second double-double of the season. It was one of Strayhorn's most efficient efforts of the season, shooting 66.7% (6-9) from the floor, while adding a 1-2 mark from beyond the arc. The Cardinals have had several different contributors throughout the season, but Strayhorn has been the offensive leader, moving her points per game average to 14.3 PPG this season. Finishing behind her was Rachel Wilson, who finished with 14 points on the night and five rebounds. Wilson would be the Cardinal's most efficient shooter, putting up a 70% mark (7-10) from the floor as she continues to be a strong force under the net for the Cardinals.
As they enter this final seven game stretch, the Cardinals are locked in a battle with Fairmont State to claim the MEC's regular season championship. The Falcons hold a one-game advantage in terms of overall record, sitting at 16-5 compared to a 15-6 mark from the Cardinals. Both teams have six MEC contests remaining, including a big meeting between the two teams on February 14th at Fairmont State. The Cardinals are trying to capture the MEC regular season championship for the first time in program history and that matchup on the 14th will go a long way to deciding just that.
The Matchup
The Cardinals and Senators are meeting for the 25th time in program history on Saturday, and the second time during the 2023-2024 season. The Cardinals hold the all-time advantage, with a record of 18-6 in 24 previous meetings, and hold the advantage in Elkins, West Virginia with a 6-2 mark. The Cardinals have taken four of the last five matchups in the series, including a season series sweep in 2022-2023.
In the first meeting of the year, Wheeling would host the Senators and came out with the win 82-66. Briarley Rogers led the Cardinal effort, with 20 points while shooting 54.5% (6-11) from the floor. She was one of five Cardinals to hit the double-digit mark in that game, with Graci Fairman, Kadie Colebank, Jacqui Hinesmon, and Bryana Henderson each hitting the mark in the win.
The Details
Tip-off for Saturday's game is scheduled for 2 PM inside the McDonnell Center on the campus of Davis & Elkins College. You can watch the game live by clicking HERE or follow along with Live Stats by clicking HERE.
