INSTITUTE – Mari Stewart and Tara Goldman both had double doubles but it wasn't enough to lead the West Virginia Wesleyan Lady Bobcats to a victory today against the West Virginia State Yellow Jackets in a Mountain East Conference clash at Walker Convocation Center.

The Lady 'Cats dropped a 79-72 decision.

Stewart scored 23 points and grabbed 16 rebounds while Goldman tallied 11 points and yanked down 10 rebounds.

Adrian Cunningham added 19 points and grabbed six rebounds.

The Lady 'Cats were up 4-3 when Brooke Richard turned in an old-fashioned three-point play and Cunningham made a lay-up to treat Wesleyan to a 9-3 lead with 3:08 gone from the first-quarter clock.

West Virginia State scored the next two baskets, but Cunningham made a lay-up, Allie Browne hit a three-pointer and Stewart popped in a jumper to give Wesleyan their biggest lead of the game, at nine, at 16-7 with 4:19 showing on the first-quarter clock.

The Yellow Jackets outscored Wesleyan by an 11-2 margin in the final four minutes of the quarter as the game was tied at 18-18 heading into the second quarter.

West Virginia State scored 10 unanswered points to begin the second quarter to take a 28-18 lead.

Stewart made a jumper to end the run and make it a 28-20 game with 7:34 left in the half.

The Lady Yellow Jackets pushed their lead to 14, at 46-32, with 1:40 left in the second quarter.

Wesleyan ended the half on a 6-1 run.

Cunningham made a lay-up, Stewart hit a seven-footer, and after Yellow Jacket free throw, Richard went inside for a lay-up to make it a 47-38 contest at the break.

Goldman made a free throw, Cunningham nailed an 11-footer and Goldman darted inside for a lay-up to get the Lady Bobcats off and running in the third quarter.

The 5-0 run made it a 47-43 game.

Wesleyan was still down by four, at 59-55, with 1:26 remaining in the third quarter when Goldman flipped in two free throws and Cunningham scored a lay-up as Wesleyan tied the game at 59-59 heading into the final quarter.

Stewart hit a jumper and then uncorked a three-pointer to give the Lady Bobcats a 64-59 advantage with 2:11 gone in the final quarter.

West Virginia State though went on a 14-2 run over the next five minutes to take a 73-66 lead with 2:24 remaining.

Stewart and Browne made consecutive three-pointers for the Lady 'Cats to bring them to within one, at 73-72, with 58 seconds remaining.

The Lady Bobcats couldn't score though in the final 58 seconds as West Virginia State scored the last four points of the game.

Both teams were an identical 29-for-69 from the floor for a 42.0 shooting percentage.

Wesleyan outrebounded West Virginia State by a 46-42 margin.

The Lady Bobcat bench was outscored by a 26-2 margin.

The loss dropped Wesleyan to 6-16 overall and 4-14 in the MEC.

They will return home this Thursday to entertain West Liberty at 5:30 p.m.