CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The West Virginia State University women's basketball team was defeated by No. 3 Charleston, 86-64, on the road Wednesday night. The Yellow Jackets hung with the nationally-ranked Golden Eagles for the first three periods, but were undone in the last ten minutes of the game.

West Virginia State falls to 6-5 in the Mountain East Conference with the loss while Charleston jumps to 11-0 in league play with the win.

Junior Charity Shears topped the scoring chart for the Yellow Jackets with 15 points. Sophomore Alexis Hall was next-in-line with 12 points. Fellow sophomore Shelby Harmeyer was one rebound and one point away from a double-double.

There was little separation between the two rivals in the first quarter. Charleston scored the last five points of the opening period to go up by two points, 17-15.

Three-and-a-half minutes into the second quarter, the Golden Eagles were beginning to pull away and increased their advantage to eight points, 31-23. West Virginia State then seized the momentum and went on a 13-2 run over the next three minutes. The Yellow Jackets were in front by three at the end of the run, 36-33. The last three minutes of the first half went 7-2 in favor of UC to leave WVSU with a two-point deficit at the break, 40-38.

Scoring slowed on both ends in the third quarter. After conceding two baskets, West Virginia State scored five unanswered to get back within one point, 45-44, at the midway point. The Yellow Jackets fell behind by six with a minute left, but were bailed out with a Charity Shears layup and a single free throw from Alana Kramer in the closing seconds to cut the deficit to three points, 54-51.

Charleston opened the fourth quarter on a 13-6 run to gain a double-digit lead for the first time in the game, 69-59, at the five-minute mark. The Yellow Jackets were unable to make up any ground in the final five minutes of the contest.

The Golden Eagles surprisingly won the turnover battle, 22-13. WVSU is usually the side that causes more turnovers.

West Virginia State will face another tough opponent on the road in No. 21 Glenville State on Saturday, Feb. 13. The tip is scheduled for 2 p.m.