Storylines – vs Shepherd University
Off to a 4-9 start, Shepherd enters Thursday's game at UVa-Wise having lost five of its last six games. Most recently, the Rams were dealt a 72-69 setback at Concord University on Tuesday. In the loss, Morgan Arden came off the bench to score 29 points on 11-17 shooting. The 5-foot-5 guard has scored 10 or more points in all but three games this season and has scored 15 or more points six times. On the season, the junior leads Shepherd in scoring at 14.5 points per game. Scoring has not been a problem for the Rams who are shooting 42.1 percent from the floor as a team. Defense on the other hand has been an issue, Shepherd ranks 10th out of 12 MEC schools in field goal percentage defense. Opponents are connecting on 43.3 percent of their shot attempts. Compounding the problem has been Shepard's inability to rebound the basketball. Third-year Head Coach Jenna Eckleberry's team ranks 10th in the league in rebounding margin at -4.4. By comparison, UVa-Wise leads the league at +11.4, the number is aided by ranking first in the league in defensive rebounding percentage (.741) and second in offensive rebounding percentage (.380).
About UVa-Wise
The beat goes on for
Kristin Kunzman's Cavaliers. UVa-Wise led by as many as 18 points in Tuesday's 62-54 win over Fairmont State. The win improved her club to 5-0 at home and kept the team a game out of first place in the MEC standings. Seniors
Kayla Carey and
Makenzie Cluesman supplied the bulk of the offense in the win. Carey scored 20 points while Cluesman recorded a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds in the win. The 54 points allowed marked the ninth time in 12 games an opponent has failed to score more than 60 points against the Cavs. Limiting second chances has been pivotal in UVa-Wise's strong defensive showing this season. Six Cavs average 3.2 rebounds or more as part of the top rebounding team in the MEC. Through 13 games, opponents are collecting an offensive rebound on just 25.9 percent of missed shots. In Tuesday's victory, Fairmont State picked up just six offensive rebounds and seven second chance points as UVa-Wise won the battle of the boards 38-26. A player to watch Thursday is sophomore
Alle Moore; the Marietta, Ohio native has scored in double figures in back-to-back games and three of the last four contests. The forward posted 10 points and three rebounds despite being limited to just 17 minutes of play due to foul trouble in the win over Fairmont State. A year ago, Moore scored a career-high 25 points and grabbed eight rebounds in a 102-63 win over Shepherd at the Prior Center.
