WHEELING, W.Va. – It was an odd start to 2017 as the Golden Eagles opened the year at Wheeling Jesuit University to take on the #18 Cardinals in the first of four straight conference road games.
 
If you happened to catch the live stream you probably saw Charleston wearing the red road jerseys of Wheeling Jesuit, making it look like an intrasquad scrimmage.  There was a miscommunication and UC's jerseys were left in Charleston for the game with the Cardinals.
 
UC started strong in the unfamiliar apparel, jumping out to an 11-point, 25-14, lead heading into the halftime break.  The Golden Eagles built the double-digit lead behind Jordyn Peck's 12 first half points and suffocating defense that limited Wheeling to 16% shooting in the first 20 minutes.
 
Charleston faced a different team in the second half as Wheeling played up to their #18 national ranking, but the Golden Eagles still had a chance to steal a road win against a nationally ranked opponent.    After back-to-back triples by Mya Walker and Abby Watson that tied the game at 45-45 with just a little under three minutes to play it looked as if Charleston may pull the upset.  
 
UC missed shots on their next three possessions while Wheeling scored on a pair of free throws and a layup by Monica Burns to take 4-point lead with 14 seconds to play.  Watson trimmed the lead to two off a layup on an offensive rebound but that would be as close as UC would get as the Cardinals hit on all four of their attempts from the stripe to defeat Charleston 53-47.
 
UC returns to action Thursday to face the Hilltoppers of West Liberty, the second of their four-game road swing.