WJU Basketball Preview: Cardinals Travel to Falcons

By: Michael McDonald, Assistant Sports Information Director

Men's Basketball | 1/30/2017 11:34:00 AM

Important links:
Live stats
Live video
WJU women's roster
WJU men's roster
FSU women's roster
FSU men's roster

FAIRMONT, W.Va. - Wednesday evening marks one of the biggest double-headers on the 2016-17 Mountain East Conference schedule. Wheeling Jesuit travels to Fairmont State for what will be a matchup of the top-two preseason favorites on the women's side and a rematch of an early-season overtime contest between two highly ranked men's squads.

In the season's first meeting, the Wheeling Jesuit men forced an overtime period by way of a Jarin Hilson jumper with 18 seconds remaining. Fairmont State prevailed, 95-92 in the early-season top-25 showdown. Five Cardinals finished in double digits, led by Haywood Highsmith's 20 points and 14 rebounds.

The Cardinals come off an 85-77 loss at Charleston and are 8-2 in their last 10 games. WJU occupies a 6-2 road record on the season. The WJU squad ranks third in scoring offense (88.6) and scoring margin (+12.6) while holding second position in scoring defense, allowing 76 points per game.

Pat Moseh leads the Cardinals with 15.6 points (17^th in MEC), 5.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists. Preston Boswell adds 14.1 points on average and has scored 10 or more points in the last 18 contests. Boswell has scored 15 or more points eight different times. Highsmith is second in the MEC in rebounding (10.8) and adds 14 points per night, 23^rd best in the conference. Kyle Ritz supplies 12.6 points and 8.4 rebounds, seventh most in the league. Chase Lawson shoots over 35 percent from long distance, chipping in 8.7 points. Dom Tham adds 8.5 points and five rebounds, and has scored in double figures four of the last five outings.

Fairmont maintains its second position in the NABC Division II coaches poll, riding a 20-game win streak into Wednesday evening. On Saturday, the Falcons flew past Virginia Wise, 116-97. Matt Bingaya leads Fairmont with 19.9 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. Thomas Wimbush adds 16.4 points and 6.9 rebounds to the mix. The Falcons rank first in scoring offense (98.9) and second in scoring margin (+22.1).

Print Friendly Version