WISE - - Newport, Tenn. native Allison Ball scored a season-high 16 points, dished out a career-best eight assists and registered a career-high five steals to lead UVa-Wise to a 72-62 Mountain East Conference victory over West Liberty University at the Prior Center Saturday.

UVa-Wise (18-8, 13-5 MEC) used a 15-3 run to close the first half to take a 37-33 lead to intermission. Senior Taylor Sandidge provided the spark for the Cavalier offense during the spurt as the Waynesboro, Va. native netted nine of her 13 points in the period.

Even more impressive was the defense Kristin Kunzman's team displayed in the second quarter. West Liberty (7-17, 6-12 MEC) turned the ball over nine times in the 10-minute stanza which led to 13 points for UVa-Wise.

The second quarter scoring spurt proved to be the difference as the Hilltoppers would be unable to get closer than three points at any point in the second half. Lynn Ullom's club got within three on a jumper by Marissa Brown with 4:55 to play in the third period and again on a Brown layup with just under two minutes to play in the third quarter.

West Liberty would get within three points one final time when McKenna Shives drained a 3-pointer to make the score 58-55 with 7:38 to play. UVa-Wise responded by outscoring the guests 14-7 over the remainder of the contest to complete the season-series sweep.

The 'Toppers raced out to a 25-15 lead after the first quarter behind a strong shooting performance. The visitors made five 3-pointers as part of a 10-17 showing from the field in the opening 10 minutes. Shives scored 11 of her game-high 22 points in the quarter while Brandi Beader chipped in eight of her 17 points in the period.

Five Cavs finished in double-figure scoring as Makenzie Cluesman (14), Kayla Carey (11) and Alle Moore (10) joined Ball and Sandidge.

Kunzman's team finished the game 15-18 from the charity stripe and scored 23 points off turnovers. Behind Moore's 10 points, UVa-Wise outscored West Liberty 16-1 in bench points.

Ball's five steals led a season-high 13-steal performance for the Cavs as Moore and Cynita Webb added two steals each.

Cluesman grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds to record a double-double. The senior from Jonesville, Va. added three assists, a block and a steal in the contest.

Brown was the third West Liberty player in double-figure scoring as she finished 7-9 from the field en route to 16 points.

Next up for UVa-Wise is a three-game road trip that begins Thursday night in South Euclid, Ohio. Tip-off against Notre Dame College is slated for 5:30 p.m.