BUCKHANNON — The West Virginia Wesleyan Lady Bobcats and the West Virginia State Yellow Jackets managed a winter blast of cold and snow to meet at Rockefeller Center Saturday, in a MEC showdown that saw West Virginia State top West Virginia Wesleyan 87-76.
Despite the loss, Wesleyan outperformed the current No. 1 NCAA Division 2 rebounding team (844) with 29 boards to the Yellowjackets’ 27. Even State’s consistent full-court press, aided by its five-player substitution strategy, did not garner the turnovers it has become used to with a conference second-best 8.47 turnover margin. State took the ball away 20 times but gave it up on 17 possessions.
In one of her best performances of the season, the Lady Bobcats’ Desiree Roy seemed to be everywhere on the floor all at once. Roy’s double-double performance (her third of the year) of 12 points and 11 rebounds helped the Lady Bobcats maintain its conference third-place standing in rebound margin with 5.8, just behind State with 6.
Directing the Lady Bobcats in scoring was team-leader Emma Witt who went 6-of-11 from the field and 3-of-3 from the line for 15 points. Charlotte Sherrill added 13 points with a 5-of-12 effort and Maile Hunt recorded 10 points while shooting 5-of-8.
For the Yellowjackets, Destiny Fields was the game’s leading scorer with 7-of-11 for 16 points and Shelby Harmeyer contributed 15 points.
Wesleyan travels to Frostburg State University Wednesday, Jan. 24, for a 5:30 p.m. tip.
