WEST CHESTER, Pa.- Looking to extend its regular-season winning streak dating back to the 2017-18 season to 18 games the West Chester University women's basketball team (1-0) took the floor for the first time in the 2018-19 season against UVA-Wise (0-1). West Chester earned its first victory of the season winning by a final score of 71-57.
In the first quarter, West Chester jumped to a 7-2 lead before UVA-Wise scored again to cut the deficit to three with just over six minutes to play in the first. The two teams traded baskets over the course of the next six minutes of play as the Golden Rams stretched their lead to as much as seven late in the quarter before the Cavs cut the lead to four again. At the end of this back and forth first quarter West Chester held a solid 20-16 lead entering the second.
In the second quarter, it was more of the same as Wise and West Chester traded buckets through the opening five minutes to give West Chester a 29-26 lead with just under five minutes left to play in the opening half. The two teams locked in a defensive battle for much of the next five minutes as it was not until the 1:25 mark when UVA-Wise scored to break the scoreless stretch and cut the deficit to 29-28. West Chester answered back with five points of its own in the final minute of the first half while allowing its guests to score one more basket before the halftime break. The late baskets from each team allowed West Chester to carry a 34-30 lead to the halftime break.
Zhane Snow (Wilmington, Del./Concord) ended the first half as the Golden Rams leading scorer with 10 points after going a perfect 3-for-3 from the field including 2-for-2 from three and a perfect 2-for-2 from the charity stripe. Sophomore
Destiny Jefferson (Scranton, Pa./West Scranton) was close behind with nine points of her own after going 3-of-8 from the field while also pulling down a first-half team-high six rebounds. Cynita Webb led the way for UVA-Wise over the course of the first 20 minutes registering an early double-double with 11 points on 5-of-10 shooting while also ripping down 10 rebounds.
West Chester and UVA-Wise ended the first half even in field goal percentage as each team shot 39.4 % from the field although West Chester did shoot better from three-point land and the charity stripe. From three-point range, West Chester was 4-of-13 (30.8 %) while its guests were just 2-of-11 (18.2 %) from three. West Chester also went 4-of-7 (57.1 %) from the line while its guests were just 2-for-5 (40.0 %) in the opening half.
In the third quarter, West Chester was on fire as the Golden Rams outscored their guests by a 23-12 margin to take a commanding 57-42 lead to the fourth quarter of play. This 23-12 run was keyed by the Golden Rams going 6-of-15 (40.0 %) and 2-for-3 (66.7 %) from deep while also going 9-of-13 (69.2 %) from the charity stripe. The Golden Ram defense was equally as effective in this quarter holding their opponents to 27 % shooting from the field including 25 % from deep and 50 % from the charity stripe.
As was the theme for much of the game the Golden Rams and Cavs traded baskets with neither side taking a clear advantage throughout the quarter. UVA-Wise did manage to outscore its hosts in the final stanza by a 15-14 margin although it was not enough to complete the comeback as West Chester picked up the victory by a final score of 71-57.
Jefferson ended the contest as the games leading scorer with 20 points and six rebounds to go along with a game-high five steals. Freshman teammate Snow had a great collegiate debut with 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting and a game-best 3-of-4 for three-point range.
Katherine Fisher (Rutledge, Pa./Strath Haven) was the final Golden Ram to end the contest in double-figures as she ended with 10 points, six rebounds and a game-high seven assists. Webb ended the game as the leading-scorer for UVA-Wise with 18 points while also ripping down a game-high 19 rebounds.
West Chester ended the contest with advantages in field goal, three-point, and free throw percentage. West Chester went 24-of-64 (37.5 %) from the field including 7-of-23 (30.4 %) from three and 16-for-23 (69.6 %) from the line. The Golden Rams opponents struggled to solve the West Chester defense throughout the contest going just 20-for-60 (33.3 %) and a dismal 4-for-18 from three-point land. UVA-Wise also struggled from the charity stripe going 13-of-26 (50.0 %) from the line in the loss.
Despite Webb's 19 rebound performance West Chester also found a way to end the contest with a 47-43 edge in rebounds as offensive rebounds were even at 15 apiece while West Chester held a 32-28 edge in defensive rebounds. West Chester also ended the contest with an 18-8 advantage in points off turnovers and a 30-22 advantage in points off the bench while second-chance points were even at 12 points for each team.
West Chester will be back in action tomorrow afternoon against Notre Dame College (OH) in the final game of the Carol Eckman Classic with that game scheduled to tip at 3 p.m.
