BUCKHANNON – In a tightly contested battle at the Rockefeller Center, West Virginia Wesleyan (18-7, 12-6 MEC) edged past West Virginia State (14-12, 8-10 MEC) with a 76-70 overtime victory on Saturday afternoon. The game featured nine ties and nine lead changes, with both teams exchanging momentum-shifting plays down the stretch.
Wesleyan jumped out to a quick start, fueled by a hot-shooting first quarter. The Lady Bobcats connected on four three-pointers in the opening frame, which helped build a 19-11 advantage.
But the second quarter saw State respond with defensive intensity. Latifat Olatunji, who had a game-high 18 rebounds, helped the Yellow Jackets close the gap. A late three-pointer from Ashley Kerekes and a pair of free throws from Emyah Fortenberry trimmed the deficit to just three points at halftime, 33-30.
In the third quarter, State outscored Wesleyan 24-18 to take a 54-51 lead into the fourth quarter where the Lady Bobcats countered with its own surge. Witt, who recorded a game-high 23 points and 13 rebounds, dominated in the paint. Sydney Baird also played a pivotal role, scoring 16 points, including crucial free throws down the stretch. The Lady Bobcats managed to grab the lead at 67 with just 23 seconds left when Witt hit her first three-pointer of the year, but State tied it on a foul beyond the stripe that sent Woods to the line to score all three free throws and send the game into overtime.
In the extra session, State struggled to find offensive rhythm. The Lady Bobcats leaned on Baird’s clutch free-throw shooting (8-of-8 for the game) and a strong defensive stand to pull away. Witt’s layup with 3:40 left in overtime gave Wesleyan the lead for good, and it held West Virginia State to just one field goal in the final five minutes.
West Virginia State struggled from the field in overtime, hitting just 1-of-8 shots, while Wesleyan capitalized from the free-throw line, converting 7-of-8 attempts to secure the 76-70 victory.
- Key Performers
- West Virginia Wesleyan
- Emma Witt: 23 points, 13 rebounds
- Sydney Baird: 16 points, 8 assists
- Lojain Elfatairy: 14 points, 3 steals
- West Virginia State
- Shanley Woods: 17 points, 4-of-8 from three
- Latifat Olatunji: 7 points, 18 rebounds, 4 blocks
- Ashley Kerekes: 11 points, 3 rebounds
The win solidifies Wesleyan’s strong second-place standing in the Mountain East Conference. Wednesday, Feb. 26, the Bobcats travel to league-leading No. 1 Fairmont State University for a 5:30 start with the Falcons. Wesleyan defeated the Falcons in Buckhannon early in the season 81-72.
