OWENSBORO, KY - The Panthers just keep winning. Playing in their first home game in nearly two weeks, the Kentucky Wesleyan Women's Basketball team showed out on Saturday, taking down the Cedarville Yellow Jackets by a score of 68-45. Wesleyan used a good combination of both offense and defense to nab the win, shooting 50% from the field and forcing 21 turnovers in the contest. 

Wesleyan improves to 16-4 (11-3 G-MAC), while Cedarville drops to 5-16 (3-11 G-MAC). 

This was a low scoring affair early, as the teams were knotted up at 4-4 with over five minutes of game having already been played. Buckets from Shiya Hoosier and Jordyn Barga gave the Panthers the lead, and Wesleyan led 10-6 after one. 

Capped off by an Emmy Ralph three, the Panthers opened the second quarter on a 14-2 run. Ralph and Shaylee McDonald each hit another three to give the home side a 30-15 lead with 2:11 left in the half. The Panther defense didn't allow another Cedarville score the rest of the half, and late layups from Bailey Poole and Myah Mongomery put Wesleyan up 35-15 at the break. 

Things didn't get much better for the Yellow Jackets in the second half, as the Panthers kept pouring it on. Late layups from Sydnee Richetto and Montgomery eventually made it a 27-point (51-24) Panther advantage. Barga hit another jumper in the final minute and Wesleyan went into the final 10 minutes of play with a comfortable 53-27 lead. 

Wesleyan cruised in the fourth quarter, as a Mariah Jones layup put the Panthers up 32 (68-36) with 6:22 left in the game. Cedarville scored the final few points of the game but the Panthers still controlled this one throughout, winning 68-45. 

Wesleyan shot 26-52 (50%) from the field and 6-15 (40%) from three. Their staunch defense held the Yellow Jackets to just 19-60 (31.7%) from two and 4-23 (17.4%) from behind the arc. 

Coaches Caleb and Nicole Nieman may have the most balanced team in the G-MAC, as Wesleyan yet again had multiple players in double figures. Both Jordyn Barga and Shaylee McDonald finished with 13 points, while Emmy Ralph (12) and Myah Montgomery (11) weren't far behind. Both leading scorers were also the team's leading rebounders, as Barga and McDonald finished with eight boards each. Barga and Sydnee Richetto led with three assists, while Shiya Hoosier was a defensive monster, tallying four steals and a block. 

The Panthers will look to continue their winning ways next Thursday when they travel to Trevecca Nazarene for a tough battle with the Trojans. TNU currently sits in a tie for third in the G-MAC standings, just behind the Panthers, so this game will have major postseason implications. Tipoff for that contest is set at 5:30 p.m. CT. 

Stay up to date on all your Panther news by following @KWCpanthers on Twitter and Instagram and by liking the "Kentucky Wesleyan College Athletics" Facebook page.