CHARLESTON– In a game defined by swings of momentum and defensive grit, the University of Charleston narrowly edged out West Virginia Wesleyan, 62-59, in a Mountain East Conference showdown on Wednesday night at H. Bernard Wehrle Arena.
Charleston (14-11, 9-8 MEC) overcame a sluggish first quarter and used a dominant second quarter to take control, then fended off a late charge from the Lady Bobcats (17-7, 11-6 MEC) to secure the victory. Jamia Nesmith led the way for Charleston with a double-double, tallying 14 points and eight rebounds, while Kiley Graham added 12 points and seven rebounds.
The Lady Bobcats started strong, outscoring Charleston 10-7 in the first period behind the play of Sydney Baird, who finished with a game-high 15 points. However, the Golden Eagles responded in the second quarter, outscoring the Lady Bobcats 26-13. Charleston shot a blistering 78.6% from the field in the period, including a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc, with contributions from Ksenija Mitric and Graham.
By halftime, Charleston had flipped the script and held a 33-23 advantage.
The second half was a more balanced affair, with both teams trading baskets. Wesleyan made its move in the fourth quarter, cutting into the deficit behind clutch three-point shooting from Baird and a determined inside presence from Desiree Roy (12 points, 5 rebounds).
The Lady Bobcats outscored Charleston 22-15 in the final period and had a chance to tie the game in the closing moments. Down 62-59 with under 10 seconds to go, Wesleyan forced a miss from Charleston’s Paris Stokes but could not convert in transition before time expired.
While Wesleyan relied heavily on its starting five, Charleston’s depth played a crucial role. The Golden Eagles’ reserves contributed 19 points, compared to just four from Wesleyan’s bench. Mitric was particularly impactful off the bench, finishing with 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting, including three triples.
- Key Stats & Takeaways
- Charleston won the rebounding battle, 36-27, including 15 offensive boards that led to 16 second-chance points.
- Three-point efficiency favored Charleston, who shot 50% (6-of-12) from beyond the arc compared to Wesleyan’s 37.5% (6-of-16).
- Turnovers were nearly even, with Charleston committing 13 to Wesleyan’s 10, but the Bobcats were unable to capitalize fully on their takeaways.
- Fast break points were a difference-maker, as Charleston outscored Wesleyan 11-3 in transition.
Wesleyan will aim to bounce back as the team seeks to secure a top seed in the conference tournament. Despite the loss, Wesleyan proved resilient, and their fourth-quarter fightback suggests they’ll be tough when they host West Virginia State University Saturday, Feb. 22 in the Rockefeller Center at 2 p.m.
