Charleston, W.Va. –The Golden Eagles defeated the West Virginia Wesleyan Bobcats by a close margin. Dwaine Jones collecting ten assists in the contest, making him the Mountain East Conference all-time assist leader with 648 and several games left to play in the regular season.
 
The Basics:
Location: Wehrle Innovation Center
Score: UC 68 WVWC 66
Records: UC 15-9 (11-6 MEC) WV Wesleyan 5-20 (2-15 MEC)
 
How it Happened:
The first half of the game between West Virginia Wesleyan and Charleston was intense, with both teams trading the lead early on. Charleston took an early 2-point lead after a jumper by Dwaine Jones, but West Virginia Wesleyan quickly answered with a jumper to tie it up at 2-2.

Both teams struggled with shooting, with missed three-pointers and layups, leading to turnovers and fouls. Charleston started to build a small lead as the game progressed, with key plays from Zach Loveday and Matthew Shelton, including a dunk and several fast-break layups. Charleston's defense was strong, forcing turnovers and capitalizing on mistakes, including a steal and assist that led to a fast-break layup by Shelton, bringing the score to 26-18 in favor of Charleston.

West Virginia Wesleyan kept it close, a player contributing a three-pointer and a layup, and another adding a couple of baskets. The team managed to pull back to within a few points multiple times, but Charleston's fast-paced offense, especially from Shelton and Jones, kept them ahead.

The half ended with Charleston leading 35-27, as a fast-break layup from Ja'Corey Lipkins extended their lead. Despite a solid push from West Virginia Wesleyan late in the half, Charleston's offensive efficiency and strong defensive rebounds allowed them to maintain the lead.

The second half of the game was a back-and-forth battle that saw several lead changes as both teams fought hard for control. Charleston started with a strong performance, with quick layups and solid free throws pushing them ahead early. However, West Virginia Wesleyan responded well.

As the game entered the final minutes, both teams were locked in a tight contest. Charleston's Obinna Ugwuakazi and Dwaine Jones stepped up, scoring critical baskets, including a crucial layup by Jones to give Charleston a 67-66 lead with less than a minute remaining. Despite a valiant effort from WV Wesleyan, including a missed 3-pointer in the final moments, Charleston held on to secure a 68-66 victory after a clutch free throw by Ja'Corey Lipkins.
 
Up Next:
Charleston heads to Elkins, West Virginia this Saturday, February 22^nd to take on the Senators of Davis & Elkins College set for a 4:00PM tipoff.