SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. - - Host Shepherd University outscored UVa-Wise 21-12 to score a 73-66 Mountain East Conference women's basketball victory at the Butcher Center Thursday. The win earns a season-series split for the Rams who were defeated 81-42 earlier this season by the Cavaliers.

Shepherd (9-12, 6-7 MEC) entered the fourth quarter down two thanks to a buzzer beating shot by Kayla Tibbs to end the third period. Tibbs' bucket would be the start of a 12-run for the Rams that would see them take a 62-56 lead with 3:21 to play.

UVa-Wise (15-6, 10-3 MEC) would get within three points with 2:29 to play on a basket by senior Kayla Carey. Kristin Kunzman's team would get no closer as six fourth quarter turnovers and poor foul shooting would prove to be too much to overcome.

The Cavs finished the game 9-18 from the free throw line, the poor performance included a 5-11 showing in the final 20 minutes.

Back-to-back buckets by Carey to begin the second period gave the Cavs a 25-18 lead, the seven point spread marked the visitors' largest lead of the night. Shepherd responded with an 8-3 spurt to tie the contest at 28-28 with 5:36 to play in the quarter.

Shepherd used the solid play of forward Liz Myers to keep the game within reach in the opening half. Myers scored 12 of her 14 points in the opening 20 minutes while also collecting eight of her game-high 14 rebounds in the half.

UVa-Wise would have a second chance to put the game out of reach in the third quarter when a 6-0 run pushed the lead to 46-39 with six minutes remaining in the quarter. The Cavs attacked the paint for all six of the points during the spurt as Makenzie Cluesman, Carey and Alle Moore all scored inside.

As was the case in the first half, Shepherd had an answer. Jenna Eckleberry's squad responded with an 8-2 run to knot the game at 48-48. Cara Mason provided five of her 15 points during the run for the Rams.

Cluesman would give UVa-Wise back the lead when the Jonesville, Va. native saw her 3-point attempt hit the front of the iron and carom off the top of the backboard before falling through the net.

Moore followed up Cluesman's long-range shot with a pair of free throws before Cluesman split a pair of charity shots to run the lead back to six at 54-48.

Refusing to go away, Shepherd scored the final four points of the third quarter before limiting UVa-Wise to 12 fourth quarter points to claim the come-from-behind win.

The Cavs committed 19 turnovers in the loss while the Rams enjoyed one of their best free throw shooting days of the season by making 18 of 22 attempts.

Guard Morgan Arden came off the bench to score a team-high 20 points for Shepherd. Mason added 15 points while Myers turned in the game's only double-double.

Making her third collegiate start, freshman Kayla Mullins scored 10 points for UVa-Wise. The Clintwood, Va. product added five rebounds, two assists and a steal in 29 minutes of action. Ashley Cullen scored all 10 of her points in the first half while Carey also netted 10 to join Cluesman's game-high 21 points in defeat.

Despite the loss, the Cavs remain in a tie for first place by virtue of Wheeling Jesuit's loss to West Virginia State. UVa-Wise, Wheeling Jesuit and Glenville State all share identical 10-3 MEC records with nine conference games to play.

Saturday, Kunzman's crew visits Fairmont State University in a 2 p.m. tip. The action can be heard live on FM – 92.1 WDIC or online at www.wdicradi.com