WHEELING, W.Va. - - Wheeling Jesuit scored 17 second chance points and made 16-18 free throws to claim a 71-60 Mountain East Conference victory over visiting UVa-Wise at the McDonough Center Thursday. Senior guard Jaila Bryant was a perfect 8-8 at the charity stripe as she led all players with 22 points in the win.

Wheeling Jesuit (20-3, 15-2 MEC) built a 24-14 lead after the opening quarter behind seven points from Bryant. The Cardinals forced six turnovers in the period and turned the extra possessions into nine points on the opposite end.

UVa-Wise (10-11, 6-11 MEC) battled back in the second quarter. After a Bryant layup gave the Cardinals a 28-15 lead with 7:32 to play in the half, the Cavaliers finished the half on a 16-8 scoring spurt to go to halftime trailing 36-31.

Taylor Sandidge scored six of her 12 points in the quarter to keep UVa-Wise in the game. Bryant picked up her second personal foul in the quarter and while she sat on the bench, the Cavs posted a 6-0 run that cut the Cardinals lead from 13 points to seven points.

Kristin Kunzman's UVa-Wise club would score the first eight points of the second half to take a 39-36 lead with just over seven minutes to play in the third quarter.

Kayla Carey scored four of her team-high 18 points during the spurt only to see Wheeling Jesuit respond to take a 52-43 lead with a minute to play in the quarter.

Freshman Alle Moore would score the final four points of the period, including a buzzer beater to get UVa-Wise within five at 52-47 with 10 minutes remaining.

The fourth quarter belonged to Wheeling Jesuit as the Cardinals outscored the guests 19-13 to claim the 71-60 win.

Wheeling Jesuit shot 66.7 percent in the fourth quarter and out-rebounded UVa-Wise 9-3 in the period. By contrast, the Cavs made just 3-10 shots from the field in the period while failing to make a 3-point shot.

Chenelle Moore turned in a double-double for Wheeling Jesuit with 12 points and a game-high 14 rebounds. Taylor Lubinsky chipped in 12 for the Cardinals who remain in a first place tie for the MEC lead with West Liberty University.

Moore netted 10 points to join Carey and Sandidge in double figure scoring in defeat. The Cavs will complete a four-game road trip Saturday when the team plays MEC co-leader West Liberty. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m.