Wheeling, W. Va- The Wheeling University Women's Basketball team (16-11), (11-8) picked up their fourth win a row after defeating the Point Park Pioneers 71-56 on the road. The Cardinals played well, forcing 11 turnovers. They held off Point Park's third quarter comeback by outscoring the Pioneers 25-11 in the final 10 minutes to secure the victory.
Kenzie Dalton made seven shots from the field to lead the Cardinal offense with 16 points. In the process, she recorded 12 assists, which not only marks her season-high in that category, but also is her sixth double-double of the season. Dalton has displayed her playmaking abilities all season long. She is sixth in Division II with an average of 5.5 APG. The senior is also known for her ability to cause live-ball turnovers as she is by far the Mountain East Conference's (MEC) leader, averaging 3.3 SPG, and is 13th in the nation. She has been on a hot streak as of late, recording at least 10 points in the past eight games. In those games, the Cardinals are 6-2 since January 31st, meaning that if Dalton stays hot, the team has a pretty good chance of coming out on top. With about a 45% field goal percentage, Dalton is the one of the most efficient shooters on the team and in the conference.
Elena Marin Dawd posted a career-high 12 points against the Pioneers last Wednesday. The sophomore has been a steady member of the starting five because of her ability to grab rebounds and shoot efficiently. The Luxembourg native shoots at a 45.3% clip from the field, so even though fans may not see her take shots at high volume, she tends to make the most of her opportunities when she has the rock.
Heading into the final quarter on the road against Point Park, Emma Reynolds had four fouls against her and two points from the line. She finished the contest with 10 points after completely dominating the floor to help the Cardinals go on a 10-0 run that ultimately secured the win for Wheeling. For a freshman to look so comfortable in high-pressure situations is unheard of, yet she makes it seem easy. That composure will be key for the team to maintain tomorrow having to play a tough rival and will be needed for the MEC Tournament. She averages 34.4% from the perimeter, and if other teams neglect their assignment to guard her, then they will end up causing their team more than just three points.
The Cardinals have had roughly the same starting five all year long, but two players who come to mind that the coaching staff trusts to come off the bench are Hillari Baker and Amyah Maxwell. Baker has been playing excellent basketball in the past three games, recording a season-high 12 points against Glenville State and putting up six against Concord and Point Park. Maxwell is a freshman who has only played in 10 games this season but just recorded a career-high seven points and three rebounds in the last outing. Both Baker and Maxwell could be looking at some valuable minutes in the future if they continue to make the most of the time that they are out there.
Wheeling showed off their range game against Point Park, recording a season-best 44.4% from behind the arc. The Cards are better known for defending rather than scoring, but they will take what they can. Wheeling is eighth in the conference, making roughly 28% of their three-point attempts. However, they hold opponents to even less than that at 24.1%, a league high. Additionally, the Cardinals are ninth in conference scoring buthold their opponents to a mere 58.2 points per game. Here's a fun fact: Wheeling is 12-3 whenever they shoot at least 40% or better from the field and 7-2 and when they make 33.3% of their three-point attempts.
Heading into the final game of the regular season, Wheeling is locked into the sixth seed in the MEC Tournament. As the standings are currently, they will take on the third-seeded Concord Mountain Lions on March 5thsince the top six teams automatically advance to the quarterfinals. Wheeling's opponent could change to Charleston if Concord falls to Glenville and the Golden Eagles take down West Virginia State.
Rivalry Renewed
At first glance, West Liberty's 10-17 record and 6-13 MEC record makes it seem like the Hilltoppers have not had a great season. A seven-game losing streak that started the new year put the team in a tough spot in the conference, but even still, the Hilltoppers are simply a young team, and if they can stick together, they have the potential to become the next big threat in the MEC. The Toppers are coming off an 87-46 victory at Salem after holding the Tigers to a mere 15 total points in the second half and nearly doubling Salem's production in every quarter. The 6'3 redshirt freshman forward Regan Vinskovich picked up her eighth double-double finish with 25 points and 17 rebounds. Three other Toppers finished in double figures, including redshirt sophomore guard Olivia Baker with 18, senior guard Anna Lucarelli with 13, and sophomore guard Ana-Isabel Anderson with 11.
Vinskovich was named the MEC Women's Player of the Week because of her performances against Glenville State and Concord last week. She averaged 29.5 points across both contests, led by a career-high 38 points against GSU after making 16 of 20 shots from the field.
West Liberty is 38-18 all-time against Wheeling, but the Cardinals have won the last five meetings. The most recent contest between these two occurred earlier this season when the Cards took down the Toppers 78-52 on the road. Reynolds had a career day, recording 21 points after making eight shots from the field. Dalton ended with 19 while Lacosta and Baker each finished with 11. For West Liberty, Vinskovich ended with 21 points and Lucarelli finished with 14 points.
The Details
The Wheeling University Women's Basketball team plays their final game of the season against the West Liberty Hilltoppers, tomorrow, February 28th, inside the Alma Grace McDonough Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. The game will be streamed live on the Mountain East Digital Network HERE and Live Stats will be available HERE.
