CHARLESTON, W. Va.  – The University of Charleston Golden Eagles Women's Basketball team (23-6, 17-5 MEC) closed out the regular season with a 85-78 win over crosstown rival West Virginia State on Saturday at the Wehlre Innovation Center. The Golden Eagles were led offensively by senior Drew Rackley, who finished up his senior campaign with 21 points and 3 rebounds. In the contest, senior forward Devon Robinson scored 16 points with five rebounds to finish his final home game in the Wehrle Innovation Center

JUST THE BASICS
SCORE:  Charleston 85, West Virginia State 78
LOCATION: Charleston, W. Va. – Wehrle Innovation Center
TEAM RECORDS: Golden Eagles (23-5, 17-5 MEC), Yellow Jackets (18-8, 12-8 MEC)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Golden Eagles opened up by scoring the first two buckets of the game, taking a 5-0 lead to start the first half. It took just over three minutes for the Yellow Jackets to get on the board on a three ball by Glen Abram to bring the score to 3-5 at the 16:54 mark. Over the next four minutes the Yellow Jackets outscored the hosts 14-10, that put WVSU up by five with 11:04 to play in the half. Seth O'Neal hit a shot from behind the arc just before the midpoint of the half to bring the score to 19-17 in favor of the Yellow Jackets. The two teams when tick-for-tack to head into the break with the Golden Eagles trailing 36-38.
 
In the first half, the Golden Eagles shot 50.0 percent from the field, going 53.3 percent from behind the arc, while the visitors shots just shy of 50 percent with a 48.8 percent first half performance.
 
Rackley opened up the Golden Eagles scoring effort in the second half, tying the game up 38-38. Frank Agyemang would knock down a three on the next possession giving the Yellow Jackets the three point lead, but it was off the hand of Rackley that would tie the game up once again, and his senior counterpart, Robinson who would give the Golden Eagles the lead with his second three-ball of the game. This would be the last lead change of the contest.
 
The Golden Eagles would not give up the lead, although the Yellow Jackets stayed close for the remaining 13 minutes, never trailing by more than seven points, until the 10:29 mark when junior forward Lamont McManus put the Golden Eagles up by nine points just before the media timeout.
Charleston would cling to the lead for the remaining 10 minutes of play sealing the 85-78 win on a pair of free throws in the final 16 seconds from sophomore guard, Keith Williams.
 
While the Yellow Jackets capitalized on Golden Eagle turnovers, scoring fifteen points in transition, it was the Golden Eagles bench that outscored the Jackets reserves 9-0 for the contest, led by freshman forward, Eddie Colbert who notched nine points and four rebounds for Charleston.

Charleston Leaders (29-54, 53.7 percent from the field)
Drew Rackley – 21 points, three rebounds, four assists
Seth O'Neal – 17 points, two rebounds, seven assists
Devon Robinson – 16 points, five rebounds, four assists
Keith Williams – 13 points, five rebounds, two assists


Yellow Jacket Leaders (26-of-65, 40.0 percent from the field)
Jeremiah Moore – 24 points, two rebounds, one assists
Anthony Pittman – 19 points, 12 rebounds, one assist
Glen Abram – 16 points, two rebounds, five assists

Up Next:
The Golden Eagles will head into the Mountain East Conference Tournament next week with date, time, and opponent to still be determined.