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West Virginia State University Athletics

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WBB23 Harmeyer
Photo: Nate Kurtz, Cal (PA)
68
West Virginia St. WVSU-W 0-1
84
Winner California (PA) CAL-W 1-0
West Virginia St. WVSU-W
0-1
68
Final
84
California (PA) CAL-W
1-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
West Virginia St. WVSU-W 10 12 28 18 68
California (PA) CAL-W 21 23 26 14 84

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | Bryan Shepherd, Assistant Sports Information Director

First Half shooting woes sink No. 16 WVSU in season opener

CALIFORNIA, Pa. – In the first game of the MEC/PSAC Conference Challenge, hosted by California University of Pennsylvania, No. 16 West Virginia State's women's basketball team took an 8-2 lead with 6:53 left in the quarter and didn't score again for 6:52 of playing time enroute to an 84-68 season opening loss to the host team. State struggled from the field in the first half of the game, going a combined 13:38 without a field goal in the opening 20 minutes of play.

State falls to 0-1 overall, while Cal goes to 1-0.

Shelby Harmeyer led the offense with 17 points and three rebounds. Anysa Jordan picked up a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. ZZ Russell and Hannah Shriver each contributed 10 points. 

Anysa Jordan hit the first field goal for the Yellow Jackets, a trey at the 8:37 mark to put State up 3-2. Shriver then hit one from downtown and then forced a turnover and a quick layup. Cal scored 19 unanswered as they went 0-9 until Hannah Shriver hit a jumper at the end of the quarter. The scoreboard read 21-10 in favor of the hosts after ten minutes. 

Latifat Olatunji scored the first points of the second quarter, a layup 80 seconds into the second frame. Imani Reid banked a layup home a little over a minute later, and then State went silent from the field until Jordan hit a three with 46 seconds left until halftime, 41-22. WVSU did hit five foul shots during the drought to avoid going completely scoreless. Cal hit a trey at the end of the quarter to double-up State, 44-22. 

The shots finally started to fall for the Yellow Jackets following the halftime break as Harmeyer drained a three after a Cal empty possession to start the half. Wheeling-transfer Shanley Woods scored her first points in the black and gold jersey moments later. At the under-five media timeout, the deficit had stayed the same, 57-35. Shortly after, Harmeyer drained a shot from downtown and got fouled on the play to give her an and-one opportunity and converted the rare four-point play. Hermeyer hit a trey at the horn to cut the lead to 20 points heading into the final frame.

Cal hit the first basket of the fourth quarter and then the teams traded blows through to the fourth quarter media timeout with 5:30 to play and State down 79-57. Cal scored their final points with 4:27 on the clock, opening the door for State. State though could only score 10 more points with Harmeyer and Russel each contributing four points and Destiny Fields two points. Neither team scored in the final 1:37 of the contest.

State will try to regroup for the second and final game of the event Sunday afternoon at 4 pm against Kutztown.
 
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