Yellow Jacket Women Turn Back Hilltoppers - West Virginia State University Athletics

West Virginia State University Athletics

    The WVSU women battled visiting West Liberty to pretty much a standstill through most of the first half Thursday night in the Walker Convocation Center.

    Trailing 20-18 with 5:49 to go in the second quarter the Yellow Jackets put together a 13-0 run to move in front 31-20. The Hilltoppers challenged at times the rest of the evening but WVSU was able to turn them back each time on the way to a 84-76 win to improve to 4-3 in Mountain East Conference play.

     Sophomore guard Jordan Miller got things going by scoring the first six points of that run. The Virginia Beach native converted a three-point play first and then followed that a few seconds later with a long-range 3-point bucket. After Aurreshae Hines drove for a layup Kimberly Richburg finished the run off with five points of her own.

     The Yellow Jackets took a 35-27 into the locker room at halftime after hitting 40 percent from the floor including 31.3 (5-16) percent from 3-point range.

      West Liberty refused to go away though cutting the WVSU lead to 60-57 after the third period.

      But every time the Hilltoppers had an opportunity to reduce the margin to less than two points the Yellow Jackets responded with a clutch defensive play or bucket.

     "We played with more intensity, more focus, tonight," WVSU Coach Charles Marshall said. "We were very focused and made some big plays at important times."

      With the score 62-60 Jasmine Davis hit a 3-pointer.

       At 67-64 senior Aurreshae Hines hit a bucket off of a turnover.

       Up just 71-68 Hines drove for a layup.

       "Our two seniors (Hines and Davis) had good games," Marshall said. "Jordan Miller also played well and even though it doesn't show in the stats Amari Grace played strong defense."

       Miller drove for a bucket to make the score 75-70.

       After the visitors cut that margin to 75-73 Hines hit a jumper.

       Back-to-back baskets from Davis and Lyrin Hatcher stretched the lead to 81-73 with 1:04 remaining to finally give the Yellow Jackets some breathing room.

        Hines led WVSU with 23 points. Davis added 19, Miller 14, and Hatcher 11 along with 11 rebounds.

        "I'm very proud of the freshman (Hatcher)," Marshall said. "She had the double-double and played great defense against their post player."

         Her 11 rebounds along with the Yellow Jackets 43-38 advantage off the boards particularly please Marshall.

          "We really worked hard on rebounding this week and it showed tonight," he said.

           The Yellow Jackets head north this weekend for a 2:00 p.m. Sunday contest at Wheeling Jesuit.

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             The WVSU men dropped the nightcap 119-82 to undefeated #4 West Liberty.

             Pat Johnson-Agwu led the Yellow Jackets with 18 points while Ernest Jenkins finished with 14 and Jeremiah Moore 12..

             The men play at 4:00 p.m. Sunday at Wheeling Jesuit.

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