WISE - - UVa-Wise opened the game on a 22-7 and never looked back in a wire-to-wire Mountain East Conference women's basketball victory over Glenville State at the Prior Center Saturday. The win was the first in program history for the Cavaliers over the Pioneers and keeps Kristin Kunzman's team one game out of first place in the MEC race.

UVa-Wise (17-7, 12-4 MEC) turned in its best offensive quarter of the season to begin the game. The Cavs made seven of their first 10 shot attempts en route to shooting 66.7 percent from the floor and scoring 31 points in the opening quarter. Senior Makenzie Cluesman scored seven of her 16 points in the period while fellow senior Kayla Carey netted six of her game-high 19 points in the quarter as the hosts built a 14 point lead.

Glenville State (18-4, 12-4 MEC) struggled to put the ball in the basket and grab rebounds in the opening 10 minutes. Kim Stephens' team made just six of 23 field goal attempts while losing the battle of the boards 15-9 in the quarter.

The trend continued throughout the contest as the Pioneers finished the game shooting 35 percent while dropping the rebounding battle 58-34.

Glenville State saw UVa-Wise build its lead to as many as 24 points by intermission as freshman Cynita Webb scored inside off a Cluesman pass to make the score 57-33 at halftime.

The hot shooting Cavs made five 3-pointers in the opening half, including two by senior guard Taylor Sandidge. Kunzman's team was also aggressive against the Pioneers' full-court press going to the line 13 times in the opening 20 minutes, making 10 of the attempts. Webb provided a big rebounding boost off the bench as the Virginia Beach, Va. product grabbed three offensive rebounds to aid UVa-Wise in collecting 15 second chance points in the half.

In addition to trailing by 24, the Pioneers' leading scorer Paris McLeod was saddled with three first half fouls.

Despite the poor first half performance, Glenville State did not go away. The Pioneers finished the third quarter on a 26-11 run to turn a 60-35 deficit into a 71-61 game moving to the fourth quarter.

Defense provided the spark for the visitors as UVa-Wise turned the ball over five times and made just five of 16 field goal attempts in the third quarter. Glenville State connected on four 3-pointers and turned the turnovers into nine fast break points.

A Kristen DesRocher 3-pointer with 9:19 to play would get the Pioneers within single digits at 71-64. It would be as close as Glenville State would get as UVa-Wise responded with a 7-0 spurt to put the game away.

The Pioneers' comeback hopes took a hit when McLeod was whistled for her fifth foul attacking the rim with 8:21 remaining. The guard finished as Glenville State's leading scorer as she netted 13 points in 22 minutes of play.

A conventional 3-point play by Tayan Stewart would make the score 80-70 with 3:38 to play only to see UVa-Wise make seven of its next eight free throw attempts to claim the win.

In addition to Carey and Cluesman, Alle Moore (15), Kayla Mullins (12) and Sandidge (12) finished in double-figure scoring.

 Cluesman added 10 rebounds to her 16 points to record a double-double while adding five assists. Carey fell a rebound shy of a double-double while Sandidge grabbed eight rebounds, dished out four assists and registered a pair of steals.

Behind the 27 combined points of Moore and Mullins, UVa-Wise produced 31 bench points. It marked the second consecutive game the Cavs scored at least 30 points off the bench.

Glenville State attempted 51 long range shots in the contest but connected on just 13. Despite pressing for the entirety of the game, the Pioneers lost the points off turnover battle 25-19 to the Cavs.

The win runs UVa-Wise's home record to 10-0; the Cavs will go for their 11th straight home win Thursday when first place Wheeling Jesuit visits the Prior Center. A win Thursday would put Kunzman's team in a tie for the top spot in the MEC.