Wheeling, W. Va. – Over the last two weeks, the Wheeling University Women’s Basketball team (5-2, 2-0) has been surging, winning their last four games. The Cardinals take their momentum back into the Alma Grace McDonough Center on Saturday when they host West Virginia Wesleyan at 2 PM. It is the first of back-to-back home games as part of this final Mountain East Conference (MEC) first half stretch as they look to continue building momentum as the first half comes to an end.

Last time out, the Cardinals would hit the road to face Davis & Elkins to kick-off their two-week stretch of conference play. It was a fast start that would fuel the Cardinals success, as the team shot 52.38% from the floor in that first quarter. The efficiency resulted in 32 points for the Cardinals, as they led by 29 points after one quarter. The efficiency continued into the second quarter, as they upped that shooting percentage to 62.5%, and added 27 more points to their tally. With the lead seemingly in hand, Davis & Elkins went on one of the biggest runs of the season, scoring 22 straight points between the end of the third quarter and start of the fourth quarter to pull within 15 at 72-57. However, the early lead was enough to hold on and the Cardinals would earn a 79-63 win.

The Cardinal’s efficiency is what made them roll on the day and it was Emilia Sierra Lacosta who led that charge. The freshman finished with a team-high 18 points, while shooting 66.7% from the floor and 2-5 from beyond the arc. Sierra Lacosta is one of two Cardinal freshmen who have shined throughout the year, sitting third on the team with 10.4 PPG. She got into double digits for the third time this season and finished one point shy of her career-high, which she set in her first collegiate game. She put together her most efficient game of her career, making the most field goals that she has made in a game so far. While her offense excelled, her defense was just as strong as she set a career-high with seven rebounds while adding a steal to round out the night.

Bryana Henderson would keep her success going, sitting right behind Sierra Lacosta with 14 points on the night. She would make three field goals on the night, with two of those three coming from three-point range. She has been the Cardinal’s leading scorer down the stretch, getting to at least the 14-point mark in four of her last five games, averaging 14.0 PPG during that span. The Cardinal’s biggest spark of the night came from Graci Fairman, who had 13 points off the bench. She led the team with three three-pointers on the night, going 3-6 (50%) from beyond the arc. Fairman reached the double digit mark for the second time this season, setting a new season-high with her three three-pointers.

The Cardinals have faced a heavy road schedule so far in 2024, and these next two games will be the first time they have played back-to-back home games this season. Head Coach Anna Kowalska has stressed the importance of defending the home court, and her teams have done that since she was hired for the 2022-2023 season. Since that time, the Cardinals have gone 19-12 inside the Alma Grace McDonough Center, including a 2-0 mark this season. With two big home conference games coming up, the Cardinals are looking to keep their unbeaten conference record alive as they head towards the end of the first half of the season.

The Matchup

The Cardinals and Bobcats are meeting for the 39^th time in program history, with the Cardinals leading the all-time match at 23-15. The Cardinals have played better at home in the series, going 10-5 on their home court compared to a 10-10 record on the road. Wheeling has won five of the last six meetings between the two teams, with the lone loss coming during the 2022-2023 season.

Their last meeting came on February 7^th, 2024, in a game that the Cardinals would win 65-42. Wheeling was led by former Cardinal Shamia Strayhorn, who finished with a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds. She was one of three Cardinals to finish in double figures, with Rachel Wilson (14) and Graci Fairman (10) each reaching the mark. Strayhorn would also tie for the team lead with three assists, while former Cardinals Jacqui Hinesmon and Briarley Rogers each added three assists of their own.

The Details

Tip-off for Saturday’s game is scheduled for 2 PM inside the Alma Grace McDonough Center. You can watch the game live by clicking HERE or follow along with Live Stats by clicking HERE.