INSTITUTE, W.Va. -- Despite four players scoring in double figures, the West Virginia Wesleyan (3-9) women's basketball team was defeated by West Virginia State (7-6), 114-69 at the Walker Convocation Center on Saturday (Feb. 20).
 
Leaders for WVWC
Courtney Wilfong led the Bobcats in scoring with 18 points while also dishing out three assists. Abi Gabauer finished with 14 points and five rebounds. Ariana Harmon scored a career-best 13 points. Malaika Kimmons almost registered a double-double of 12 points and nine rebounds. Symphonie Bryant-Brown distributed five assists. 
 
Leaders for West Virginia State
Alana Kramer scored a team-high 18 points in the well-balanced Yellow Jacket attack. 
 
Team Stats
West Virginia State shot 48.8 percent (42-for-86) from the field and outrebounded Wesleyan, 50-34. WVWC finished 14-for-17 at the free throw line. 
 
Inside the First Half
Bryant-Brown dished out assists on the first three Bobcat baskets of the game including a Wilfong jumper to even the score early, 6-6 with 7:34 left in the opening quarter. Harmon connected on a mid-range jumper to knot things up again (14-14) at the 3:18 mark of the first quarter. The Yellow Jackets closed the first frame on a 9-1 run to lead 23-15. 
 
Nearly a minute into the second quarter, Wilfong drove inside for a layup to bring Wesleyan back within single digits trailing 26-17. With 8:17 remaining in the second quarter, Kimmons lined up a jump shot that fell down as West Virginia State led 28-19. 
 
WVSU answered with a 13-0 run that was not countered until a Gabauer mid-range jumper at the 3:25 mark of the first half. The Yellow Jackets led at halftime, 51-28. 
 
Inside the Second Half
Starting with 3:56 left in the third quarter, Harmon made three consecutive baskets for the Bobcats as the visitors trailed 76-44. 
 
Wilfong converted a fastbreak layup a little over a minute into the fourth quarter (86-48). Gabauer sank the last Wesleyan field goal of the afternoon in the painted area with 1:43 to go in the road contest. 
 
Up Next
WVWC women's basketball is scheduled to play host to Concord on Wednesday (Feb. 24) for a 5 p.m. tip-off.