Women's Basketball | 2/17/2011 8:20:58 PM
BOX SCORE /
GAME PHOTOS
WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – West Liberty University sharpshooter
Laura Malernee found her shot Thursday night and West Virginia State couldn't find the answer at the ASRC.
Malernee rained in a season-high 10 3-point field goals and the Hilltoppers won for the eighth time in the last nine games with a 98-78 triumph against the visiting Yellowjackets.
The only woman in NCAA history with more than 400 career 3-pointers, Malernee entered the game in a bit of a shooting slump.
The 5-11 senior had made just 3 of her last 35 3-point attempts in her last three games at the ASRC but those struggles were quickly reduced to a distant memory.
Malernee opened the game with a net-splashing 3-pointer from the corner and went on to help West Liberty (21-4, 16-3) basically put the game on ice in the first four minutes.
The lead hit double-figures for the first time when Malernee hit three more 3-pointers in a 59-second span to put W.Va. State (9-16, 7-12) in a 17-4 hole with 16:15 still showing on the first-half clock.
The Hilltoppers' lead never dropped below double-figures the rest of the way and Malernee's eighth 3-pointer of the game closed out the first half with West Liberty on top, 59-36.
“I'm really happy to see Laura have a breakout game,” head coach
Lynn Ullom. “In fairness, we hadn't been doing a very good job of setting her up in recent games but we got her some good looks tonight and she knocked them down.”
The Yellowjackets paid considerably more attention to Malernee after intermission but the senior star got loose for two more bonus bombs to finish the night with 10 3-pointers and 32 points – both season-highs.
Malernee's teammates provided plenty of quality support.
Tori Hansen backed her with 22 points and 7 rebounds while
Jenni Robbins had a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Meghan Wiseman added 13 points and 8 rebounds and
Kayla Ayers came off the bench for 10 points.
Jordan Stacey just missed double-figures with 8 points but yanked down a season-high 16 rebounds as West Liberty won the battle of the boards by a 48-37 margin.
“This was a good win for us against a very athletic West Virginia State team,” Ullom said. “We had 22 offensive rebounds and I thought that was a big factor.
Jordan Stacey probably played her best game in a month. She was really strong off the glass.”
The Hilltoppers return to action on Saturday with a 5:30 p.m. game at Glenville State.
