Posted: Dec 05, 2025
Women's Basketball outlasts SUNO, extends streak
Wiley University women's basketball players Moriah Burley and Jessica Nerestant notch double-doubles and Kelechi Dike and Shayda Fletcher score in double-figures to lift the Lady Wildcats to an 80-76 Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) victory Thursday at Alumni Gymnasium.
The Lady Wildcats (7-2, 2-0 HBCUAC) extend their season-long winning streak to four games and open conference play with consecutive victories for the second time in three seasons. It's their third straight win at home, as they improve to 4-2 at Alumni Gymnasium.
Burley scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds while adding four assists - all season-highs. She hit a season-best six shots, including three from 3-point range. Nerestant returned to the lineup after missing the previous three games due to injury. She provided 14 points and 14 rebounds in 26 minutes off the bench. Nerestant contributed four steals, three assists and a block.
Dike led Wiley with 19 points, adding five rebounds and four steals. Fletcher had her most productive game with 10 points, a team-high five assists and three steals. The Lady Wildcats were outshot by the Lady Knights 44.3 to 35.7 percent but dominated the boards, 49-34. Twenty-two were on offense, leading to 17 second-chance points. Wiley forced 29 turnovers with 19 off steals - leading to 32 points.
Two 3-pointers by Burley and a jumper by Nerestant gave the Lady Wildcats an 18-12 lead in the final two minutes of the first quarter. They missed two shots and turned it over twice, which allowed SUNO to tie the game at 20. The scoring drought continued into the second quarter. Wiley missed four shots and committed three turnovers. The Lady Knights extended their run to 16 points, which put Wiley in a 12-point deficit.
Fletcher stopped the run with a 3-pointer with 6:47 left. She hit a second three a minute later. Brandy Jones was fouled attempting a second-chance shot. She converted both free throws to cut the lead to four. Dike, Nerestant and Burley hit jumpers and Mia Thomas made a layup to bring Wiley within one. It led 41-39 at halftime after hitting three free throws.
The Lady Wildcats led by as many as five in the third quarter. They missed eight straight shots which allowed SUNO to regain the lead with 3:57 remaining. Trailing by four with just over a minute remaining, Dike made a layup. She stole the ball and tied the game at 57 with a layup. A foul away from the ball, gave Wiley two free throws, which Alexis Foster converted to retake the lead.
Wiley led by as many as six in the fourth quarter. With 2:31 left, it committed two turnovers - allowing the Lady Knights to tie the game at 75. Burley hit a 3-pointer with 1:54 left to give the Lady Wildcats the lead for good. Southern University at New Orleans only had seven players suited up and fouls caught up with them as three fouled out. The officials were not allowing much contact, calling 47 fouls.
The Lady Wildcats resume HBCUAC play on Saturday against Dillard University at 1 p.m. The teams met in the semifinals of the HBCUAC 2025 Hope Credit Union Basketball Championship with Wiley prevailing in overtime 48-45. The Lady Bleu Devils lost 62-48 at Philander Smith University on Thursday.
For more coverage on the Lady Wildcats visit https://www.wileyathletics.com/sports/wbkb/index.
About Wiley University Athletics
Wiley University sponsors 13 varsity sports: women's volleyball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's indoor track and field, men's and women's outdoor track and field, softball and baseball. It competes in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) and the Continental Athletic Conference for men's and women's soccer.
Wiley University sponsors 13 varsity sports: women's volleyball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's indoor track and field, men's and women's outdoor track and field, softball and baseball. It competes in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) and the Continental Athletic Conference for men's and women's soccer.
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