BUCKHANNON — With just one regular-season game left, West Virginia Wesleyan defeated Fairmont State, 82–57, inside Rockefeller Center on Wednesday evening. The victory pushes the Lady Bobcats to 17–6 overall and 14–5 in the MEC, firmly solidifying their position as the conference’s No. 2 team.
Wesleyan—already ranked second in the MEC in scoring defense (67.1 ppg) and first in field-goal percentage (.511) entering the night—played to its identity defensively, holding the Falcons to just 15% from three and 35% overall while shooting a blistering 60% themselves.
Fairmont State opened the game red-hot, hitting 8 of its first 13 shots to sprint ahead 20–12 after the first quarter. The Falcons repeatedly found early success in the paint and capitalized on Wesleyan turnovers.
But the Lady Bobcats responded with timely scoring from Ana Young who buried a deep three at the 3:54 mark to cut the deficit to 28–23. Moments later, Avery Childers converted a layup to bring the Bobcats within three at 28–25, igniting the packed Rockefeller crowd. By halftime, Wesleyan had pulled even 28–28.
The Lady Bobcats’ league-best shooting efficiency took over after the break. Wesleyan shot 57% in the third quarter, with Young drilling another three and Daniels punishing Fairmont inside.
A 6–0 mini-run capped by a Young transition three put Wesleyan ahead 48–41, its largest lead of the night to that point. The Lady Bobcats outscored Fairmont 20–17 in the period and seized full control of the tempo.
Wesleyan entered the fourth up 48–45—and then unleashed one of the most explosive quarters of the season.
The Lady Bobcats shot an incredible 80% (12–15) from the floor in the final frame, dominated the glass, and suffocated Fairmont defensively, allowing only 12 points.
Young was unstoppable, attacking closeouts and burying shots from deep. Daniels and Dandridge imposed their will in the paint. Wesleyan’s ball movement—already the best assist-to-turnover ratio in the MEC (1.02)—produced 21 assists on 33 made baskets.
By the time the buzzer sounded, Wesleyan had ripped off a 34–12 run, turning a tight contest into a convincing 25-point victory.
Adding an additional highlight, Sydney Baird scored her 1,000th career point with 8 seconds left in the game.
- Statistical Leaders:
- West Virginia Wesleyan
- Ana Young — 25 points, 10–17 FG, 5–9 from three, 5 assists, 2 steals
- (Young remains among MEC leaders in made threes per game, averaging 2.2.)
- Kilah Dandridge — 16 points, 7–8 FG, 6 assists, 4 rebounds
- (Now second in the entire MEC in field-goal percentage at .544.)
- Allie Daniels — 15 points, 8 rebounds
- (A top-five MEC rebounder at 9.2 per game.)
- Emma Witt — 11 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists
- (MEC’s leading scorer at 19.5 ppg and top-three in FG%.)
- Fairmont State
- Alanna Tate — 14 points
- Gabby Reep — 11 points, 3 assists
- Hadley Horne — 9 points
MEC Context and Implications with One Game Remaining:
Tonight’s performance reinforces Wesleyan’s standing among the MEC’s statistical leaders:
2 in Scoring Margin (+10.1)
1 in Field-Goal Percentage (.511)
Top-3 in Scoring Defense (67.1 ppg allowed)
Top-2 in Free-Throw Percentage (.779)
Top-3 in Assists per Game (14.7)
- Individually:
- Witt remains the conference’s scoring leader.
- Dandridge and Witt both rank top-four in overall FG%.
- Daniels sits top-five in rebounding.
- Young ranks among the MEC’s most prolific perimeter shooters.
- Sydney Baird’s assist-to-turnover ratio (2.4) is the best in the conference.
The Lady Bobcats’ final regular season game will be at Davis & Elkins College on Saturday, Feb. 28. Game time is 2 p.m.
