Wesleyan women overcome 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to knock off Wheeling, 57-52

BUCKHANNON — The West Virginia Wesleyan Lady Bobcats pulled off a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback to secure a 57-52 victory over Wheeling University at the Rockefeller Center Wednesday. After trailing for most of the game, the Lady Bobcats exploded in the final period, outscoring the Cardinals 23-8 to steal a critical Mountain East Conference win.

Wheeling (12-9, 8-5 MEC) came out strong, building a 15-9 lead after the first quarter and extending it to 28-22 at halftime. The Cardinals maintained control through the third period, leading 44-34 heading into the final ten minutes.

But the Lady Bobcats found a new gear when it counted. Wesleyan shot 70 percent from the field (7-of-10) in the final period, compared to Wheeling’s 30 percent (3-of-10). Lojain Elfatairy’s three-pointer early in the quarter cut the deficit to five, and Emma Witt’s go-ahead layup in the final minute put Wesleyan ahead for good.

Witt, this week’s Mountain East Women’s Basketball Player of the Week, spearheaded the rally, scoring 16 points, including key free throws in the closing moments to seal the win.

Elfatairy was lethal from beyond the arc, knocking down 5-of-7 three-pointers for 15 points. Desiree Roy contributed 11 points and six rebounds, providing a crucial inside presence and Daveona Hatchell added eight points off the bench, helping fuel the fourth-quarter comeback.

For Wheeling, Bryana Henderson led all scorers with 20 points while shooting 7-of-11 from the field and 4-of-8 from three-point range. Rachel Wilson registered a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

With the win, the Lady Bobcats take sole possession of second place in the MEC and will look to build on this momentum when the team travels to West Liberty University Saturday, Feb. 8 for a 2 p.m. showdown with the Hilltoppers.

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