Storylines – vs Wheeling Jesuit University
Alone in first place in the Mountain East Conference standings Wheeling Jesuit will have to play well on the road to claim this year's regular season crown. Head Coach Debbie Buff's team begins a four-game road trip Thursday when the team visits second place UVa-Wise. The Cardinals' defense has been the league's best all season, holding opponents to 62.2 points per game and 39.9 percent field goal shooting in MEC games. In its current three-game winning streak, Buff's team has yet to allow an opponent shoot 40 percent or score more than 60 points. Saturday, Wheeling Jesuit limited Shepherd to eight third quarter points en route to an 81-60 win. Guard Mariah Callen turned in one of her better games of hte season as she made five 3-pointers en route to a game-high 28 points. Callen added a team-high five assists while teammate Jaana Motton scored 13 points and grabbed 15 rebounds. In its first meeting against UVa-Wise, Wheeling Jesuit made 19 of 21 free throw attempts  as the Cardinals outscored the Cavaliers 19-8 at the free throw line. This season, Wheeling Jesuit has made 342 free throws; by comparision, opponents have attempted just 273 foul shots against the Cardinals.
About UVa-Wise
In the midst of a three-game home stand, UVa-Wise will play its biggest game in the Prior Center since the facility opened in 2011 when Wheeling Jesuit comes to town Thursday. A game behind the Cardinals for first place in the MEC standings, the Cavaliers will look to improve to 11-0 at home while winning their third consecutive game. Most recently, UVa-Wise raced out to 57-33 halftime lead over Glenville State before claiming an 87-75 victory. Senior Taylor Sandidge has been a driving force behind UVa-Wise's two most recent wins. The point guard made a career-high 11 field goals and scored a season-high 27 points in a win at West Virignia Wesleyan before scoring 12 points, grabbing eight rebounds and dishing out four assists against Glenville State. The Waynesboro, Va. native has scored in double figures in 10 the last 11 games. Her 12 points on Saturday give her 1,304 for her career moving Sandidge into ninth place on the school's scoring list. Fellow senior and backcourt mate Makenzie Cluesman is trying to close her career in style as well. The Jonesville, Va. native is averaging 16.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists in her last four games. With six leagues to play, Cluesman is shooting a conference leading 45 percent from the 3-point line against MEC competition. Wheeling Jesuit's Monica Burns is second in the category at 40.9 percent, pitting the conference's two leading long distance shooters against each other Thursday. In its first meeting against the Cardinals, the Cavs fell behind by 14 points at halftime before cutting the lead to one in the fourth period. Wheeling Jesuit would hold UVa-Wise to four points over the final 4:53 of the game to seal the 64-59 victory.