Wheeling, W.Va- After allowing the fewest number of points scored since the 2011-12 season, the Wheeling University Women's Basketball team (5-2), (1-0) return to Mountain East Conference (MEC) play against a respectable foe: the West Virginia State Yellow Jackets. After allowing Salem to score 27 points in the last game, the Cardinals are tabbed as the fifth-best team in scoring defense in Division II, giving up an average of just 50.4 points per game. The title of being the conference's top defensive team will be tested, which should make a good challenge for this young Cardinals team.
Last time out, the Cardinals put on a defensive clinic against the Tigers. From the opening tip-off, Wheeling controlled the pace of the game, taking a 26-9 lead at the end of the first 10 minutes of play. Salem did its best to put points up, but Wheeling would double its opponent's efforts by halftime with a 44-20 lead. After the break, the Cardinals continued to suffocate the Tigers' efforts by only holding them to three points, and they would hold out until the end for a final score of 67-27.
When the Salem public address announcer introduced the Wheeling starting lineup, Graci Fairman was not called, yet she finished the contest with a game-high of 19 points. What is even more impressive is that Fairman had the best field goal percentage, going seven of 10 from the field, while only logging 23 minutes. This means that the Pittsburgh native had her best, most efficient game of the season in the least amount of time played up to this point. Before the Salem game, Fairman had started all five games, had no less than 35 minutes in those games, and had only recorded double-digit points twice. The early and heavy utilization of Fairman has catapulted her to third in the MEC in minutes played, so even if she does not start in future contests, there should be no cause for concern, given her performance and efficiency against the Tigers.
Another Cardinal to have a great night was Emilia Sierra Lacosta. She concluded her evening with 18 points after having gone five of 11 from the field and two of seven from the arc. Free throws were a major contributing factor against the Tigers, with the Cardinals ending with an 82.1% at the line. Lacosta went a perfect six of six to put her second on the team with a season percentage of 82.4%. Emma Reynolds joined Lacosta in the last outing to make all six of her free throws. Fairman did well at the line as well by sinking four of her six attempts.
After holding the Tigers to a measly 27 points, the Cardinals have dropped its average points scored by opponents from 54.3 to 50.4 and have increased its margin to 10.7, a conference high. Wheeling is one of the top scoring defenses in the nation only under Gannon, Kutztown, Virginia Union, and Assumption, which means the Cardinals thrive in low-scoring affairs. Their specialty is limiting the opponent's effect on the scoreboard, and they do that by being quick to the ball, communicating clearly, and challenging all shots taken.
Scouting the Yellow Jackets
West Virginia State are in the midst of a dry spell, dropping their last three games to fall to a 2-5 record. Two of those losses came to Concord on December 3rd (80-74) and Glenville State on the 6th (94-83). In the game against the Pioneers, Baylee Goins performed exceptionally well, recording a season-high of 29 points while shooting 11-19 from the field, three of six from range, six rebounds, and three assists in 39 minutes played. The senior from Nitro, West Virginia is among the top five players in the MEC in field goal percentage (53.3%) and three-pointers per game (2.1) and she is 7th in MEC scoring with an average of just under 16 points per game.
Goins is not the only player to watch for the Yellow Jackets. This team has four additional seniors who all make the starting lineup cards frequently, and all of them are a threat to score. The lowest field goal percentage of the five seniors sits at only 39.1%, which means Wheeling's scoring defense will be severely tested. Despite the depth and experience, the Yellow Jackets sit in the middle of the pack, averaging about 74 points per game on offense. However, the team is tied for ninth in the MEC by allowing 78.0 points per game.
The Cardinals have 20 wins against 17 losses to the Yellow Jackets dating back to 2000 with Wheeling having won the previous two meetings. The last contest between the two came back on February 1st, 2025, when Wheeling held on to beat West Virginia State 58-45. Sierra Lacosta led the Cards with 15 points, and the team held Goins to just two points.
The Details
The Wheeling University Women's Basketball team will travel to the Walker Convocation Center in Institute, WV tomorrow, December 10th, 2025, with tip-off scheduled at 5:30pm. The game will be streamed live on the Mountain East Digital Network HERE and LiveStats can be viewed HERE.
