BUCKHANNON, W.Va. — Five West Virginia Wesleyan (0-1) players scored double-digit point totals as the Lady Bobcats dropped their season opener to Kentucky State (1-0) on Sunday by an 89-77 score at Rockefeller Center.
WVWC Leaders
Courtney Wilfong and Cierra Tolbert both were the leading scorers for WVWC with 15 points. Tolbert made six field goals and sank three free throws, while Wilfong drilled three 3-point field goals. Electra Allembert scored 14 points and snagged nine rebounds in her first collegiate game. Symphonie Bryant-Brown posted 14 points and dished out four assists. Imani Jackson led the Lady Bobcats with two steals and added 10 points.
Kentucky State Leaders
Taleah Dilworth was the leading scorer for the Thorobreds with 20 points. Hannah Henderson recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Sydney Benning distributed five assists. Dilworth, Gracen Kerr and Hilani Cantone all forced three steals.
Inside the First Half
Wilfong opened the game with a three-point basket to give Wesleyan an early lead. Kentucky State responded with a 14-point scoring run to take an 11-point advantage. KSU increased their lead to 17 after a three-point basket from Kerr. The Bobcats cut the Thorobred deficit to 11 points at the end of the first quarter.
Tolbert made two-free throws and a layup to open the scoring for Wesleyan in the second quarter. A jump shot from Wilfong cut the Kentucky State lead to single-digits at 31-22. KSU went on a 7-0 run to go up 16 points with 6:14 in the first half. The Lady Bobcats trailed by 15 points heading into the locker room at halftime.
Inside the Second Half
Kentucky State held their largest lead of the game at the 2:14 mark in the third quarter. Wesleyan fought back and went on a 9-1 scoring run to end the third quarter. The Lady Bobcats trailed by 14 points after three quarters.
Jackson stole a Thorobred pass in the first minute of the fourth quarter to set up Tolbert for a layup under the basket. Two made layups from Allembert and Bryant-Brown cut the Thorobred lead to 10 points with 6:35 to play. The Bobcats trailed by 10 points four separate times in the fourth quarter and outscored Kentucky State 39-36 in the second half.
Up Next
WVWC is set to welcome Salem to Buckhannon on Wednesday (Nov. 17). Tip-off is slated for 5:30 p.m.