Box Score BUCKHANNON – A pesky West Virginia Wesleyan Lady Bobcat basketball team gave the University of Charleston Golden Eagles a good battle here Thursday evening, but ultimately fell by a 60-52 score in a Mountain East Conference clash.
Freshman forward Mari Stewart scored a game-high 23 points in the losing effort for the Lady Bobcats.
Adrian Cunningham and Allyson Freiermuth each tacked on 11 points for Wesleyan.
Allie Browne didn't score but dished out eight assists
Kiara Johnson opened the scoring for Charleston but Stewart made consecutive jumpers to give Wesleyan its only lead at 4-2 with 2:14 gone in the game.
Despite Wesleyan never regaining the lead, Charleston was never able to truly pull away for the Lady 'Cats.
Charleston rattled off the next nine points, but
KiKi DeVane (pictured) made a free throw, Cunningham popped in a jumper and DeVane came back with a lay-up to make it an 11-9 game.
Wesleyan tied the game up after a three-pointer by Stewart made it a 16-16 contest with 6:50 left in the first half.
Charleston ended the half with an 8-3 run to take a 24-19 lead in the intermission.
The Golden Eagles came out in the second half and extended their lead to seven at 34-27, but
Stacy Remer knocked down two free throws and Stewart canned a jumper to bring Wesleyan to within three at 34-31.
Charleston went on a 12-2 run to open up their biggest least at 13, at 46-33, with 10:14 remaining in the game.
Again Charleston was never able to put the Lady 'Cats away as Stewart hit back-to-back jumpers to close the gap to nine points at 46-37 with 8:54 showing on the clock.
Charleston pushed their lead back to 13 at 50-37, but Wesleyan went on a 9-0 to make it a 50-46 game with 4:34 remaining.
DeVane hit a jumper, Cunningham turned in a three-point play, Freiermuth downed two free throws and came back inside for a lay-up during the run.
A Freiermuth jumper brought Wesleyan to within three, at 55-52, with two minutes remaining.
Charleston though ended the game scoring the final five points to survive for the victory.
Wesleyan shot 30.9 percent for the game hitting on 17 of their 55 shots.
Wesleyan forced Charleston into 18 turnovers.
Assistant coach Morgan Hobbs handled the head coaching duties for the Lady 'Cats tonight as head coach Michael Bari was under the weather.
Wesleyan (2-17 overall and 2-14 in the MEC) will return to action this Saturday when they travel to West Virginia State for a 2 p.m. tip-off.
(Photo courtesy of Peter Galarneau Jr.)
