WHEELING, W.Va. – Inside the Alma Grace McDonough Center, it will be another celebratory Saturday as the Wheeling University women's basketball team (16-9, 11-7) honors one of the best teams in program history. The Cardinals will honor the 1993-1994 women's basketball team, which won the first regular season and West Virginia Interscholastic Athletic Conference (WVIAC) championships and was named Most Valuable Player in program history, with a special event starting at 1:50 p.m. A pre-game ceremony will be held. The first team to qualify for the national championship. After the ceremony, the Cardinals will continue their journey to the conference championship with a tip-off at 2 p.m. against Glenville State University.
Last time out, the Cardinals headed out to play Concord and were able to get off to a fast start. In the first quarter, both teams traded back and forth points, and the game was tied 15-15 after the first 10 minutes. It wasn't until the second quarter that the Cardinals took control and scored their first 20 points of the day. They entered halftime with a 35-30 lead and looked to maintain that momentum in the second half. But it was Concord that ultimately prevailed, scoring 20 points in the third quarter and adding 24 more in the fourth. The Cardinals held the lead until the final two minutes of the game and had a three-point lead with three seconds left, but it wasn't meant to be, as the Cardinals lost 74-71.
Junior led the Cardinals. Shamir Strayhorn, had a bouncing effort with 24 points in the contest. Although she set a career high for this effort, she suffered a setback on Jan. 24 against Notre Dame. Strayhorn shot her 56.3% (9-16) from the floor and continued her strong work from the free throw line, where she went 5-8. Strayhorn is currently just outside the top 10 in the Mountain East Conference (MEC) scoring this season, averaging 14.0 points per game and shooting 38.2 percent from the field, 11th in the conference. It is a record. The Cardinals will look to Strayhorn to lead the offense as they compete for seeding in a mixed MEC towards the end of the season.
The Cardinals also welcome the return to the offense on the road. kenzie dalton Although he didn't reach double digits, he led the passing game and rebounding game with eight games and six games. Despite missing three games early in the season, Dalton is still one of the conference's top passers, ranking third in assists per game (3.9) and fifth in assists per game (86). ing. brierley rogers He scored 13 points. He is the most efficient shooter on the team, shooting 71.4% from the floor (5-7). Along with Strayhorn, Rodgers is another Cardinal who is averaging double-digit points per game at 11.6 points this season, and is shooting a team-leading 35.7% from 3-point range this season.
As the final three games of the season approach, the MEC is closer than ever, with just three games separating the top seven teams. After losing to Concord, the Cardinals find themselves holding on to the No. 5 seed while continuing to fight for a first-round bye for the second year in a row. After Wednesday's loss, the magic number remains at 3, one game ahead of tied No. 6 seeds Glenville State and Concord. A win against Glenville State on Saturday would give the Cardinals one of the top six spots, but a loss would force them to compete for a first-round bye until the final game of the regular season.
match up
The Cardinals and Pioneers will meet Saturday for the 38th time in program history and the second time during the 2023-2024 season. Glenville State holds the all-time lead in the series with a 28-9 record, but the Cardinals have a much better record at home, 5-9 in 14 games. Since both teams joined his MEC in 2013, Glenville State has held the edge with his 26-8 record, and the Cardinals averaged 71.7 points per game against the Pioneers. doing.
In the first matchup of the season, Wheeling lost 78-58 to Glenville State. Shamir Strayhorn He led the Cardinal's effort in this game, finishing with 17 points and second on the team with nine rebounds. Gracie Fairman The other Cardinal with double-digit hits finished with 13; Rachel Wilson He led the defense with 11 rebounds to end the night.
detail
Tip-off for Saturday's game is scheduled for 2 p.m. inside the Alma Grace McDonough Center, and a special 1994 championship celebration will begin at 1:50 p.m.Click to watch the ceremony and game live here Or click to follow live statistics. here.
