Wheeling, W. Va. - While campus is getting ready for Thanksgiving Break, the Wheeling University Women's Basketball team (3-1, 0-0) is preparing to take the floor one last time before eating the turkey. They wrap up their early season non-conference schedule on Wednesday, November 26th, when they take on Ohio Dominican with tip-off at 2 PM. The Cardinals look to keep their momentum going as they play in their final tune-up before jumping into their Mountain East Conference (MEC) schedule.
Last time out, the Cardinals welcomed in Washington Adventist University on Sunday and it was a fast start that got the Cardinals ahead. Wheeling would get out to a fast start, scoring 15 of the first 19 points in the contest, taking a 15-4 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Cardinal defense held the Shock to a 16.67% mark from the floor, but they weren't ready to roll over. They came storming back, scoring 13 points in the second quarter and by halftime, the Cardinal lead was cut to 24-17. The third quarter continued the trend, with Washington Adventist scoring a game-high 21 points over the next 10 minutes and heading to the fourth it was a 39-38 Wheeling lead. While the offense started the success, it was the defense that brought the game home, holding Washington Adventist to just seven points in the quarter. It was enough to see Wheeling hold on for the 57-45 win.
Leading the effort for the Cardinals was sophomore Emilia Sierra Lacosta, who finished with her first career double-double. The sophomore finished with 20 points, and grabbed her team-leading 10th rebound in the final seconds of play to secure the victory. Sierra Lacosta continued her success from the three-point line, going 5-10 and shooting 50% from long range. It continued a strong week for the sophomore, where she shot just over 40% from beyond the arc against Pitt-Johnstown and Washington Adventist. Sierra Lacosta stepped up as the Cardinal's leading scorer Kenzie Dalton was held to just six points, as she led the offense to their third straight win after taking a loss in their opening game of the season
The other Cardinal to step up for the team was Graci Fairman, who finished with a season-best 15 points in the effort. Her success would come mostly from the three-point line, where she finished 3-6, and added a 6-10 mark from the field. After serving as the team's sixth man a season ago, Fairman has jumped into a starting role for this year's squad and has been a deep threat for the Cardinals. Emma Reynolds continued her contributions under the net, adding seven points and seven rebounds to round out the day. She finished one rebound shy of her season-high of eight and, despite mission most of the first half due to an injury, she came back and played strong for the Cardinals throughout the day.
As they wrap up their early season non-conference schedule, the cardinals get ready to enter the MEC field as one of the hottest teams. They have been driven by their defensive effort, leading the MEC by allowing 54.5 points per game this season, while sitting with the highest margin of any team with an 8.3 margin. They currently sit tied for second in the conference with a 3-1 mark on the season, sitting tied with Concord and just a half game behind Fairmont State at 4-1. They have played the second-most games in the conference to this point and will tie for the conference lead once they take the court on Wednesday. It is all to help prepare them for the tough conference schedule ahead as they chase down a spot in the MEC Tournament.
The Match-up
The Cardinals and Panthers are meeting for just the second time in program history on Wednesday, with Ohio Dominican leading the all-time series at 1-0. It will be the Panther's first trip to the Alma Grace McDonough Center, after the two met for the first time just last season. The Cardinals scored 67 points in the series opener and will look to even things up as they flip the series to their home court for the first time.
Their last meeting would come on December 21st, 2024, in a game that Ohio Dominican won 74-67. Former Cardinal Rachel Wilson would lead the way with a double-double in the effort, scoring 19 points and 11 rebounds. Emilia Sierra Lacosta would equal the 19-point effort, while former Cardinal Bryana Henderson and former Cardinal Krystal Rattasepp each finished with 12 points in the game.
The Details
Tip-off for Wednesday's game is scheduled for 2 PM inside the Alma Grace McDonough Center. You can watch the action live by clicking HERE or follow along with Live Stats by clicking HERE.
