BUCKHANNON, W.Va. -- Malaika Kimmons recorded a double-double and helped the West Virginia Wesleyan (2-7) women's basketball team execute defensively in a 74-54 win over Wheeling (5-3) at the Rockefeller Center on Wednesday (Feb. 3). 
 
"We worked as a team," Kimmons said. "At the end of the day we all came together and we fed off the positive energy." 
 
Leaders for WVWC
Kimmons scored 17 points and hauled in 10 rebounds. Brittany Stawovy was one rebound shy of a double-double with 17 points and nine rebounds. Symphonie Bryant-Brown added 16 points while Summer Matlack contributed seven points. 
 
Leaders for Wheeling
Lilly Ritz scored 31 points with 11 rebounds, but no one else on the Wheeling roster scored over five points. 
 
Team Stats
WVWC outrebounded Wheeling by a 47-38 margin. The Bobcats outscored the Cardinals, 43-27 in the second half. Wesleyan finished 15-for-18 at the free throw line and forced 20 Wheeling turnovers. 
 
Inside the First Half
Kimmons worked inside a layup with 6:41 left in the first quarter to move Wesleyan ahead, 6-2. Matlack drilled a deep 3-pointer from the right side as time expired in the opening quarter with the Bobcats leading 20-12. 
 
Stawovy connected on a trey to provide WVWC a 25-12 advantage with 7:35 remaining in the second quarter. Wheeling cut the deficit to just 31-27 at halftime after a layup by Ritz in the closing minute of the first half. 
 
"Getting stops on the defensive end and moving the ball on offense was huge for us," Stawovy said. "We got into a little bit of a dry spell in the second quarter but we talked about it at halftime. We moved the ball more and cut harder in the second half to help propel us forward."
 
Inside the Second Half
A little over halfway into the third quarter, Bryant-Brown drained a trifecta as Wesleyan led 40-32. After Bryant-Brown drove hard to the basket for a layup, Kimmons did the same thing to extend the Bobcat lead to 51-37 after three quarters.
 
The Bobcats held strong in the fourth quarter and continued to widen the margin for their second win in three games. 
 
"Every game is an opportunity and I think we took advantage of it," head coach Vicky Bullett said. "The team is eager to win. I had a lot of fun during the game and am so happy for our players."
 
Up Next
WVWC women's basketball is scheduled to travel to West Liberty for a 2 p.m. tip-off on Sunday (Feb. 7).