WEST LIBERTY — West Virginia Wesleyan College’s women’s basketball team bettered West Liberty University in three of four quarters but could not upend the Hilltoppers Wednesday, falling 78-72 in MEC action at West Liberty.
West Liberty posted a fairly even field goal percentage through all four periods but it was a poor second quarter performance by the Lady Bobcats, shooting just 38 percent from the floor, that made the difference. Still, the Lady Bobcats had a chance, taking the lead 60-58 with 5:06 on the clock after two successful free throws from Emma Witt. But the Hilltoppers three-point assault (13-33 for the game) continued with three made shots in two minutes and Wesleyan was forced to foul to slow the game.
Defensively, the Lady Bobcats managed 31 rebounds to the Hilltoppers 21 and picked off six possessions to the Hilltoppers’ seven.
Scoring for the Lady Bobcats was led by Witt with 21 points, four rebounds and three assists. Witt leads all scorers for the season with 86 points. Courtney Wilfong, third on the team in scoring with 50 points, contributed 16 against the Hilltoppers in 22 minutes of court time. M’laya Ainsworth’s 3-of-5 effort from beyond the three-point stripe helped add 11 points to the Lady Bobcats’ total.
Wesleyan will host Wheeling University on Saturday, Dec. 2 for a 2 p.m. tipoff with the Cardinals in Rockefeller Center. Admission is free.
