Box Score CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Junior guard Morgan Arden (Hanover, Pa./Spring Grove) scored 19 points to lead Shepherd University (15-16) to a 68-65 win over West Virginia Wesleyan (6-20) in first round action of the MEC Women's Basketball Tournament at the Charleston Civic Center on Wednesday.

Arden hit on 7-of-16 field goals with a 2-of-4 effort from beyond the arc. She was 3-of-4 from the foul line.

Senior guard Cara Mason (Monrovia, Md./Urbana) added 16 points and a game-high seven assists. Junior guard Tiffany McKinney (Edgewater, Md./South River/Anne Arundel CC) added 11 points, while senior forward Liz Myers (York, Pa./Eastern York) contributed nine points and a team-high nine rebounds.

Tara Goldman had 19 points for West Virginia Wesleyan to tie Arden for game-high scoring honors. Stacy Remer added 17 points, while Mykenzie Martin tossed in 12.

West Virginia Wesleyan had a 37-30 lead at halftime behind 11 points from Remer.

The Rams opened the third period on a 10-0 run to take a 40-37 advantage and held a 54-50 lead at the end of the third period. The game was tight throughout the fourth period. The Lady Bobcats rallied to within a point at 66-65 after a pair of Martin free throws with 27 seconds left. Shepherd hit 2-of-4 free throws in the game's final seconds to hold on for the win.

Shepherd shot 44.6percent (25-56) from the floor with a 50 percent effort (4-8) from three-point range for the game. The Rams shot 56 percent (14-25) from the charity stripe.

West Virginia Wesleyan hit on 35.3 percent (24-68) from the floor with a 22.7 percent (5-22) performance from beyond the arc. The Lady Bobcats connected on 70.6 percent (12-17) of their free throws.

West Virginia Wesleyan had a 43-40 edge in rebounding. The Rams forced 12 turnovers and committed 13.

The Rams return to action on Thursday when they take on Wheeling Jesuit at noon in tournament quarterfinal action.