CHARLESTON – Mari Stewart scored a game-high 25 points and Adrian Cunningham (pictured) tallied 19 for the West Virginia Wesleyan Lady Bobcats in a losing effort to the West Virginia State Lady Yellow Jackets here Saturday afternoon.

The Lady 'Cats lost by 10, 83-73, in Mountain East Conference action.

Wesleyan never led in the contest.

Down 9-1 early, Stewart made a lay-up, Allyson Freiermuth canned a jumper and KiKi DeVane went inside for a basket to cut the lead to two points, at 9-7, with 15:48 left in the first half.

Wesleyan couldn't get any closer than two points in the first half.

West Virginia State pushed their lead to 11, at 30-19, with seven minutes to go in the first half.

The Lady 'Cats ended the half with a 13-8 run that made it a 38-32 score at the intermission.

An old-fashioned three-pointer by Chloe Bland cut the West Virginia State lead down to three at 47-44 with four minutes gone but State outscored Wesleyan by a 28-11 margin over the next 12 minutes to take a 75-55 lead.

Wesleyan shaved that 20-point lead down to four points over a furious three-minute stretch.

Stewart made two foul shots, Andrea Lee put in a jumper and Stewart made a lay-up to make it a 75-61 contest.

Following a basket by State, the Lady 'Cats went on a 12-0 run.

Stewart went inside for a lay-up, DeVane flipped in a foul shot, Stewart put in a tip-in, Cunningham swished in two foul shots and then scored on a lay-up following a turnover and Allie Browne fired in a three-pointer.

That made the score 77-73 with 30 seconds remaining.

State though was a perfect six-for-six at the free throw line down the stretch to put away the Lady 'Cats.

Wesleyan shot the ball at 37.7 percent while State was red-hot, shooting the ball at 61.1 percent.

Freiermuth chipped in 10 points off the bench while DeVane added seven.

Browne contributed three points, 12 assists and five steals.

The loss dropped Wesleyan to 2-18 overall and 2-15 in the MEC.

State improved to 7-14 overall and 5-11 in the MEC.

Wesleyan will return to the court Thursday at Notre Dame. The game will start at 5:30 p.m.