Men's Basketball 3/3/2016 12:49:00 PM Chris Myers

Cardinals Ready to Start MEC Tournament Title Quest Friday Against Bobcats

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – It is March and the college basketball second season. The Wheeling Jesuit men's basketball team is ready to start its Mountain East Conference Tournament title quest Friday afternoon against West Virginia Wesleyan at Charleston's Civic Center.

In the first MEC men's hoops quarterfinal, the No. 2 seeded Cardinals (27-2) battle the No. 7 seed Bobcats (17-12) in a noon tip-off. West Virginia Wesleyan qualified for the meeting with WJU after it dispatched with West Virginia State, 70-54, Tuesday night in Buckhannon behind Tanner McGrew's 31 points and 13 rebounds.

The WJU/WVW winner will face the victor of No. 3 Fairmont State (25-3)/No. 6 Notre Dame College (19-10), which follows at 2:15 p.m.

The MEC Quarterfinals' evening games pit top seed West Liberty (26-2) against No. 9 Glenville State (11-18) in a 6 p.m. game, before No. 4 Concord (19-9) hits the hardwood versus University of Charleston (16-13) at 8:15 p.m.

WJU Sweeps Season Series

Wheeling Jesuit swept the season series against West Virginia Wesleyan. In a close low-scoring first meeting, the Cardinals prevailed, 60-59, as the Bobcats' Tanner McGrew's 15-footer at the buzzer was off the mark. Eric Siefert led WJU with 12 points, six rebounds, five assists and five steals. The WJU defense held McGrew to only nine points and nine rebounds.

In the Cardinals' final home contest more than a month later, WJU started the day on a 13-0 run and saw West Virginia Wesleyan get no closer than six points the entire day of the 77-57 final.

Justin Fritts connected for 18 points off the bench, while Haywood Highsmith chipped in 14 points and nine rebounds. The Bobcats' McGrew paced their effort with 18 points and eight rebounds.

Cardinals 3-2 in MEC Tournament Play

After the first two editions of the MEC Tournament, WJU is 3-2 in the event, including 1-2 in Charleston's Civic Center. The Cardinals aim to improve upon their semifinal run from last year.

Following an opening First Round win over Urbana (100-84), WJU defeated Concord (73-70), but fell short in the semifinal to Fairmont State (73-63).

Two seasons ago, WJU scored an opening round win over UVa-Wise (105-82), before falling in the quarterfinal to Charleston (91-85).

WJU-WVWesleyan Split Last Six Meetings

The Bobcats took both ends of the 2013-14 games (78-74 and 62-47), before the two MEC foes each won on their home floors during the 2015-16 contests – 69-47 at WVW and 96-71 at WJU).

Key Players
West Virginia Wesleyan
Tanner McGrew – All-MEC First Team – 22.6 ppg, 12.4 rpg
Chris Dewberry – 10.5 ppg, 40 3FG
Garrett Grantham – 10.1 ppg, 51 3FG, 99 assists
Mo Berchie – 9.5 ppg, 128 assists

Wheeling Jesuit
Eric Siefert – All-MEC First Team – 14.9 ppg, 51 3FG, 123 assists, 51 steals
Haywood Highsmith – All-MEC First Team – 14.6 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 61 assists, 40 blocks
Justin Fritts – 14.6 ppg, 71 3FG, 81.8% FT, 81 assists
Kyle Ritz – 12.5 ppg, .616 FG%, 6.8 rpg
Pat Moseh – 12.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 91 assists

Notes:
• Cardinals reached No. 1 in the NABC Rankings, one spot better than their previous best of No. 2 during the 1996-97 season when current head coach Danny Sancomb played for them

•WJU is combined 48-12 over the past two seasons (.800 win percent)

•Cardinals posted NCAA Division II's longest win streak this season of 22 in a row. The program has also won 42 of its last 47 games.

•MEC Head Coach of the Year Danny Sancomb has led WJU to seven-straight winning seasons and three 21-plus win seasons, including the last two.

-GoCards-

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