BUCKHANNON, W.Va. — West Virginia Wesleyan College used a decisive third-quarter run to pull away from West Virginia State and secure an 86–67 Mountain East Conference victory Saturday afternoon at the Rockefeller Center. The win improves the Bobcats to 8–4 overall and 6–3 in MEC play, while the Yellow Jackets fall to 6–8 (3–5 MEC)
The game was tightly contested through the first half, with neither team able to establish separation. After four ties and five lead changes in the opening 20 minutes, the teams went into halftime knotted at 34–34. Wesleyan shot efficiently early, while State countered with strong interior play to keep the contest even
Momentum shifted decisively in the third quarter as the Bobcats erupted for 33 points, shooting nearly 70 percent from the floor in the period. Wesleyan opened the half with aggressive transition offense and sharp ball movement, quickly building a double-digit lead. The Bobcats outscored West Virginia State 33–19 in the quarter, turning a deadlock into a commanding advantage they would not relinquish
Senior
Emma Witt delivered a standout performance, pouring in a game-high 31 points on an ultra-efficient 12-of-15 shooting from the field while adding nine rebounds, five assists, and four steals.
Ana Young complemented her effort with 19 points, knocking down five three-pointers, while
Sydney Baird contributed 16 points and five assists.
Kilah Dandridge added 12 points and six rebounds to round out a balanced Wesleyan attack
Defensively, Wesleyan forced 16 turnovers and converted them into 20 points, while also holding a 44–40 edge in points in the paint. The Bobcats shot 55.2 percent overall and 43.8 percent from three-point range, showcasing efficiency and depth on the offensive end
West Virginia State was led by Tiir Nyok, who finished with 15 points and six rebounds, while Latisha Parris added 12 points and seven boards. Despite solid individual efforts, the Yellow Jackets struggled to contain Wesleyan's second-half surge and were unable to recover after the decisive third-quarter run.
The Bobcats go on the road Wednesday, Jan. 21 to Frostburg State University for a 5:30 tipoff.
