Wheeling University’s Shamiya Strayhorn heads to the basket on Friday, Dec. 15, against the University of Pittsburgh in Johnstown. Strayhorn scored a team-high 19 points in a 73-65 loss that dropped Wheeling to 8-2 on the year.
WHEELING — Although the final score reflected an eight-point loss, the deficit for most of the game was much larger for the Wheeling Cardinals, who lost their second straight game Friday to the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, 73-65 after starting their season. With eight straight wins.
The Cardinals (8-2) fell behind 28-14 after the first quarter, and didn’t budge Pitt-Johnstown’s (6-2) lead under single digits until a 3-pointer from Brianna Henderson cut it short at the final buzzer. eight.
“We didn’t come out in the first quarter, I think that was the biggest thing tonight,” Wheeling coach Anna Kowalska said. “We were 8-1 for Pitt to come in. Any team we play, they see we’re 8-1 and they’re going to come at us hard from the get-go. When you’re a good team, that’s what they’ll do.”
“I think we are learning now how to maintain the pace we have, by winning, and sometimes you will have to work harder because the team will come at you hard. I think we need to mature in this area.”
Pitt-Johnstown’s Cassidy Crawford hit a 3-pointer that made it 25-10 Mountain Cats with 2:20 left to play in the first quarter, but she did most of her damage inside and on the glass, finishing with 24 points and a game-high 14 rebounds during the game. The whole game.
The Mountain Cats’ Peyton Alazaus scored 22 goals in the win.
Through the first three quarters, Wheeling shot 30% from the field, 35% for the game, as Pitt-Johnstown contested everything around the basket and won the rebounding battle to boot.
In the first quarter, it was the Mountain Cats’ offense, not their defense, that made the difference, as the visitors shot 9-14 from the field, and 4-6 from beyond the arc to cruise past the Cardinals.
Henderson scored 15 points for Wheeling, while Shamia Strayhorn scored 19 points with nine rebounds.
“Shamiya is one of our best players, she was honorable mention all-conference last year, and her expectations are very high,” Kowalska said. “On the faceoff side, she had wide open lanes to the basket. [Henderson]She can shoot, she can score for us. She played a few matches but I’m glad she’s back now. I don’t worry about her. Those two guys are very talented, and we have a lot of talent on the roster, but when you get in foul trouble, it takes you away from the game.
Strayhorn and Henderson were Wheeling’s first and third leading scorers this year.
The Cardinals’ starters were relegated to the bench for extended periods while in foul trouble. Two players — the team’s leading scorer Briarlee Rogers and sophomore Rachel Wilson — fouled out Friday, each playing less than 20 minutes.
Wilson grabbed eight rebounds and scored five points, all in the fourth quarter as she gave her team a spark with plays like one rebound with 5:30 to play in the game.
Another offensive rebound and putback by Wilson after a missed free throw put Wheeling within sight of shooting range, 70-56, with 2:20 remaining, but Wilson committed her fifth foul on the next play.
“She’s only a sophomore, she’s young and she learns from mistakes,” Kowalska said. “We’re very small in some areas of the pitch, and when you get in trouble in the first five minutes, we couldn’t deal with it in the first half.”
Jackie Heinsmon scored 11 for the Cardinals.
Wheeling will face Urusline College on the road on Dec. 19, then will have an extended break until its next game against Lake Eerie College, also on the road, on Dec. 30 before returning home on Jan. 10 against Fairmont State.
“We need to continue to stick together and play for each other,” Kowalska said. “We need to keep pushing things right from the start of the games. We need to keep working every day in practices. I just told them two losses doesn’t define us as a team. I tell them keep going, keep playing hard, and the game will come back to us.”
Already with eight wins coming off a 14-15 season last year, the Cardinals have high hopes for the rest of the year.
“We haven’t played our best games yet. I think we have a lot to do in the second semester.”
In a thrilling match-up, the Mountain Cats faced off against the Cardinals in a hard-fought battle that resulted in a 73-65 victory. The game was filled with intense matchups and exciting moments, as both teams fought tooth and nail for the win. With stellar performances from key players and strategic plays from both sides, the game showcased the competitive nature of sports. This victory marked a significant achievement for the Mountain Cats and highlighted their ability to take on tough opponents. The game not only provided entertainment for fans but also demonstrated the dedication and skill of the athletes involved.