WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – Junior center Gabby Flinchum (North Potomac, MD/Wootton) tied her career-highs with 28 points and 14 rebounds and redshirt-freshman guard Cara Mason (Monrovia, MD/Urbana) tossed in a career-high 26 points, but West Liberty outlasted Shepherd University for a 105-98 win in MEC women's basketball action at West Liberty on Thursday.

Flinchum hit on 13-of-22 shots from the floor with a 2-of-4 effort from the foul line. She also had two assists, two steals, and a pair of blocked shots. Mason connected on 10-of-18 shots with a 2-of-3 effort from three-point range. She was 4-for-4 from the foul line.

Junior guard Rachel Johnson (Frederick, MD/Frederick) fired in 20 points and dished out a team-high four assists, while freshman forward Liz Myers (York, Pa./Eastern York) added eight points and 10 boards.

Kailee Howe scored a game-high 30 points to lead the Hilltoppers. Liz Flowers added 24 points and 10 rebounds.

Shepherd took a 49-46 lead into the break as Mason (16), Flinchum (14), and Johnson (11) combined for 41 first half points.

West Liberty took the lead for good in the second half at 59-57 on a jumper by Howe with 14:47 remaining. Shepherd cut the lead to six points at 102-96 after a jumper by Flinchum with 27 seconds left, but would get no closer.

The Rams shot 41.8 percent (38-91) from the floor for the game, 23.5 percent (4-17) from three-point range, and 78.3 percent (18-23) from the line.

West Liberty connected at 48 percent (36-75) from the floor, 30 percent (9-30) from beyond the arc, and 75 percent (24-32) from the charity stripe.

West Liberty had a 50-47 edge in rebounds. The Rams forced 18 turnovers and committed 13.

Shepherd falls to 2-19, 2-15 in MEC action, while West Liberty improves to 16-8, 13-5. The Rams return to action on Saturday when they host Wheeling Jesuit at 2 p.m. for Senior Day/Fan and Family Appreciation Day.

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