URBANA, Ohio - - Senior Taylor Sandidge scored a team-high 21 points to lead UVa-Wise to its highest point total of the season in a 101-74 win over Urbana University at the Grimes Center Saturday. All 12 Cavaliers scored in the win as the visitors finished the game shooting 53 percent from the field in claiming a season-series sweep of the Blue Knights.
UVa-Wise (19-9, 14-6 MEC) opened the game by making 11 of its first 16 shots, including a season-high seven 3-pointers in the first quarter. Senior Makenzie Cluesman netted 11 of her 19 points in the period as the Jonesville, Va. native made a trio of long-range shots in the quarter. Sandidge was also lethal from beyond the arc as the Waynesboro, Va. product made three of four 3-point attempts.
The fast starting Cavs dished out 10 of their 26 assists in the period as junior Allison Ball and senior Kayla Carey handed out three assists each.
Urbana (5-18, 3-17 MEC) never recovered as the hosts fell behind by 32 points at intermission. Things went from bad to worse for the Blue Knights when forward Sylvia Hudson picked up her third foul with 8:24 to play at the half. Hudson's foul would be the start of a 24-10 run for UVa-Wise to end the half, taking a 58-26 lead after two quarters.
Ball (8) and Sandidge (7) combined for 15 points in the period as the duo combined to outscore Urbana by five points in the period. Offensive aggression was key to putting the game away early as the Cavs converted 10 of 11 free throw attempts in the opening half, including a perfect 9-9 showing in the second quarter.
The lead would balloon to as many as 37 points at 67-30 with seven minutes to play in the third quarter when senior Kayla Carey scored inside off an assist from freshman Kayla Mullins.
Urbana would respond with a 16-3 run to make the score 70-46 with 3:42 to play after a pair of free throws by Morgan Mattimore. The Blue Knights would be unable to get any closer until 2:56 remained in the contest when Stefanie Davis converted a pair of free throws to make the score 89-66.
The final moments of the game belonged to the UVa-Wise newcomers as Riner, Va. native Natalie Boothe assisted on a layup by fellow freshman Savannah Jacobs before drilling her team's 10th 3-pointer of the game to make it a 97-68 game with 1:09 remaining.
Boothe added a pair of foul shots with 38 seconds to play before Jacobs put the team over the century mark for the first time since Jan. 26, 2016 when she boarded a miss and put it back through the hoop.
Mattimore led all players with 22 points while Danie Shafer made a team-high four 3-pointers en route to 14 points in the loss. Davis and Hudson chipped in 11 points each for Urbana.
Carey finished the game with 11 points on 4-6 shooting while Ball added six assists to her 10 points. Cluesman grabbed six rebounds, dished out five assists and registered a season-high four steals while her five made 3-pointers tied a season-high as part of her 19-point showing.
UVa-Wise dominated the glass in the win by out-rebounding Urbana 43-28. The showing included 11 offensive rebounds which led to 18 second chance points for the visitors.
The win moves the Cavs one win shy of 20 wins with two regular season games to play. The program has not recorded 20 or more wins since the 2005-06 campaign and has reached the plateau just five times in school history.
UVa-Wise plays its final road game of the season Thursday at West Virginia State. Tip-off from Institute, W.Va. is set for 5:30 p.m.
