ATHENS, Tenn. — Senior Kyra Brown scored a team-high 13 points and grabbed six rebounds as WVU Tech women's basketball opened its 2026-27 season with a narrow 51-48 loss to Tennessee Wesleyan Saturday at James L. Robb Gymnasium.
The Golden Bears are 0-1, while the Bulldogs improved to 3-1.
Brown shot 5-for-13 from the floor, including 3-for-6 from three-point range, and added a steal. Fellow senior Cadence Stewart finished with 11 points and three rebounds, scoring nine of her points in the opening quarter.
Junior Emily Wratchford contributed nine points, five rebounds and two assists, while freshman Karson Jones made her collegiate debut with six points, four offensive rebounds and a block in 11 minutes off the bench.
The Golden Bears established an early advantage behind Stewart, who scored seven of Tech's first 10 points. Brown connected from beyond the arc to give Tech a 5-4 lead before Stewart added a jumper and a three-pointer to extend the margin to 10-4.
Stewart added another basket with 1:24 remaining in the opening quarter, and Wratchford scored inside with 21 seconds left to send the Golden Bears into the second period leading 16-8.
Tech continued to build its advantage in the second quarter. Emily Sharkey opened the period's scoring for the Golden Bears with a basket before Jones scored her first collegiate points following an offensive rebound.
Jones added another basket to give Tech a 23-12 lead with 8:01 remaining in the half, and Halle Crouse followed with a jumper to extend the advantage to 25-14.
Wratchford and Crouse added baskets later in the period before Sharkey knocked down two free throws with no time remaining, giving the Golden Bears their largest lead of the game at 31-19 entering halftime.
Tennessee Wesleyan began cutting into the deficit after the break, but the Golden Bears continued to answer. Brown opened Tech's second-half scoring with a three-pointer before Stewart added a basket to restore a 12-point advantage at 36-24.
Brown scored again midway through the third quarter, and Wratchford converted a pair of free throws to put Tech ahead 40-28 with 3:48 remaining.
The Bulldogs responded with six consecutive points before Jones scored inside to make it 42-34. Tennessee Wesleyan's Talley Lawson followed with a three-pointer, but sophomore Addyson Amick added a free throw to send the Golden Bears into the fourth quarter leading 43-37.
Brown opened Tech's fourth-quarter scoring with a steal and layup, extending the advantage to 45-37 with 8:40 remaining.
Tennessee Wesleyan responded with eight consecutive points to tie the game at 45 with 3:13 remaining. Mackenzie Babb then scored inside to give the Bulldogs a 47-45 lead with 2:43 to play.
Brown answered with her third three-pointer of the afternoon, putting the Golden Bears back in front 48-47 with 2:21 remaining.
Tennessee Wesleyan regained the lead on a basket by Jalaya Lindsey with 1:52 left, and Jada Edwards added another with 1:04 remaining to make it 51-48.
The Golden Bears had opportunities to tie the game in the closing seconds, but three-point attempts by Stewart, Brown and Crouse did not fall.
Crouse finished with four points, five rebounds, two steals and a block, while Sharkey added four points, three rebounds, three assists and a steal. Sophomore Alivia Monroe led the Golden Bears with seven rebounds and recorded a block.
Tech shot 31.1% from the floor, connecting on 19 of 61 attempts, including four three-pointers. The Golden Bears finished 6-for-10 at the free-throw line and received 15 points from their bench.
WVU Tech led for much of the contest and held a 31-19 advantage at halftime. The Golden Bears committed 12 turnovers compared with 10 for Tennessee Wesleyan.
The Bulldogs shot 36.4% from the field and held a 46-38 rebounding advantage. Tennessee Wesleyan scored 34 points in the paint compared with 12 for Tech.
Lindsey led Tennessee Wesleyan with 13 points and nine rebounds, while Edwards added 11 points, including eight in the fourth quarter.
What's next
WVU Tech continues its season-opening road trip Wednesday, Nov. 4, against the University of Pikeville in Pikeville, Ky. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
