Lady Warriors knock off No. 14 Moberly Area to finish up 2-0 weekend

Shanihya Brown gets her hand on the ball on defense in the second half vs. Southwestern
Shanihya Brown gets her hand on the ball on defense in the second half vs. Southwestern

KIRKWOOD, Mo. -- The Wabash Valley women's basketball team knocked off No. 14 Moberly Area, Mo. here on Sunday to wrap up a perfect 2-0 weekend. 

Saturday, the Lady Warriors defeated much-improved Southwestern Ilinois, 100-65, in a Great Rivers Athletic Conference game at Spencer Sports Center. 

Now 11-1 and winners of 11 straight after a season-opening loss, WVC hits the road for the last two games before the holiday break: Saturday, Dec. 17 at Kaskaskia, and Monday, Dec. 19 at Danville Area. 

The Lady Warriors moved up four spots to 18th in this week's NJCAA Division I poll, announced on Monday. With the loss to WVC, Moberly Area dropped seven spots to 21st. 

WABASH VALLEY 91, MOBERLY AREA 74 

In the highlight attraction of the day-long women's junior college shootout at St. Louis CC-Meramec, Shaulana Wagner "dominated," according to WVC coach Luke Scheidecker. 

Wagner, a 5-foot-10 sophomore, finished one assist away from a triple-double. She totaled 33 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists. She also led the team in steals with four. 

Wabash Valley got off to a good start, then nursed and/or extended the lead the rest of the way, outscoring the Greyhounds in all four quarters. 

At halftime, the lead was nine points, 44-35. In the second half, the Lady Warriors eased further away, 47-39, to account for the 17-point final margin of victory. 

"We played well for four quarters, an extended team effort," Scheidecker said. 

Three other players scored in double figures for the winners: Brookly Gray and Madison Roshelle with 14 points apiece, and 11 points for Tamesha Dozier. 

Aaliyah Smith led Moberly (12-2) with 24 points. McKenna Eddings, who hit five of the Greyhounds 11 3-point field goals, was next with 20 points. 

 

WABASH VALLEY 100, SOUTHWESTERN ILLINOIS 65 

The Blue Storm, just 6-20 a year ago but already 8-3 this season, hung with Wabash Valley in the first half, trailing only 49-36 at intermission. However, the Lady Warriors opened the third quarter on an 18-2 roll that put the game away. 

"We did not come out with intensity. Our effort was not there in the first quarter," Scheidecker said.  

Things were different in the second half. 

"We were flying around. We got some stops in a row and that led to some easy baskets," he said. "I always say that defense leads to offense. That is where it starts, defensively." 

As usual, WVC spread the wealth around, with 13 different players scoring. Chanteese Craig led the way with 19 points. 

Three other players hit double figures: Gray with 17 points, Roshelle with 15, and Dozier with 10. 

Casandra Sams paced Southwestern with 12 points. 

That was just the second home game of the season for WVC, which next plays at home on Jan. 4 against Volunteer State.