Charleston, W. Va – On Wednesday night, Charleston would host the West Virginia Wesleyan Bobcats for their second Mountain East Conference matchup of the new year. With the Bobcats coming into this matchup on a nine-game losing streak, the Golden Eagles sought after their fourth win in a row.
The Basics
Location: Wehrle Innovation Center
Score: UC 66, WVWC 53
Records: UC 8-7 (4-4 MEC), WVWC 2-10 (0-8 MEC)
How it Happened
After a quick start to the quarter for both teams, Charleston would hold a 12-11 lead over the Bobcats after a quick jumper from Paris Stokes, her first bucket of the game. A two-minute drought would follow for both sides until Wesleyan's Daveona Hatchell would take the lead with a layup from underneath. Ksenija Mitric would check into the game and give the advantage right back to Charleston with a triple for the 17-15 lead. It would be extended just before the buzzer with a layup from Haley Moore to take a 19-15 lead into the second quarter, accompanied by a 61% conversion rate from the floor. The second quarter wrote another story, as the Bobcats would limit the Golden Eagles to just 11 points while they were able to eliminate the scoring margin with 18 points on the other end and take a 33-30 lead into the halftime break.
In their last two games, the Golden Eagles have been able to explode in the third quarter following the halftime break, making this dominant second half performance highly anticipated. With a 12-4 run to begin the second half, they would go on to hold the Bobcats to just six points and put up 19 in the third period, shooting nearly 40% in the quarter and finding four easy shots at the line for the 49-39 lead heading into the final quarter. The Bobcats would attempt the comeback early in the fourth quarter, but Charleston was able to win the scoring margin 17-14 and find the 66-53 victory at home. Clarrissa Francis had a monstrous night with 23 points and nine rebounds, a near double-double for the third-year veteran.
Up Next
Charleston will travel to Elkins, WV on Saturday for a mid-afternoon matchup with the Senators of Davis & Elkins on January 20
th at 2:00 PM in the McDonnell Center.