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17 mbb hay vs wlu
98
West Liberty WLU 25-3/19-3 MEC
101
Winner Wheeling Jesuit WJU-M 22-6/16-6 MEC
West Liberty WLU
25-3/19-3 MEC
98
Final
101
Wheeling Jesuit WJU-M
22-6/16-6 MEC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 OT 1 OT 2 OT 3 F
West Liberty WLU 31 42 10 10 5 98
Wheeling Jesuit WJU-M 36 37 10 10 8 101

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Chris Myers

Cardinals Claim 3OT 'Senior Day' Victory over ‘Toppers, 101-98

WTRF Game Highlights
WHEELING, W. Va. – In front of a capacity crowd over 55 minutes of high-intensity rivalry men's basketball, Wheeling Jesuit claimed a 101-98 three overtime 'Senior Day' victory over West Liberty Saturday.
 
With 1:01 left in the third extra period, a Kyle Ritz free throw put the home Cardinals (22-6/16-6 Mountain East Conference) ahead for good, 96-95. Jarin Hilson and Pat Moseh made 5 of 6 free throws in the final 18 seconds and the Hilltoppers (25-3/19-3 MEC) managed only a Devin Hoehn trey over the time period for the three-point thriller final margin.
 
"It was a hard-fought basketball game and I tip my hat off to West Liberty," said WJU head coach Danny Sancomb. "West Liberty played so hard and it was so hard to score for anyone as it was a struggle to put the ball in the basket. I am very happy for the win. We defended very well and this environment today brings out the best in everyone."
 
As usual in the Wheeling area rivalry, it was a packed McDonough Center crowd of over 2,000 in attendance.
 
The two rivals have now played 105 minutes in the two regular season matchups. On Jan. 19, the Hilltoppers finished with the upperhand, 96-90, in only two overtimes.
 
"The guys kept battling. I am so proud of them. We made enough plays to win in the end," noted Sancomb.
 
No team on Saturday had a lead of more than three points until WJU edged ahead by four, 99-95, with 11 seconds in the third overtime. The marathon game saw five 20-point scorers and four combined players foul out.
 
Haywood Highsmith reached 20 points for the second time in three days with 22 points on 10 of 17 shooting. He hauled down 14 rebounds, handed out four assists and blocked four shots.
 
Pat Moseh connected for a team-high 25 points, including 11 of 17 from the foul line, to go with 10 rebounds and three assists.
 
Kyle Ritz added a final double-double on his Senior Day with 16 points on 5 of 11 shooting, 3 of 5 treys and 16 caroms and four blocks.
 
"Haywood had another double-double as he was just tough all night. Pat (Moseh) played tough down the stretch, while Kyle (Ritz) capps off his Senior Day with a great game. He was great down the stretch rebounding. Jarin Hilson was big for us with his effort handling the ball," said the Cardinals coach.
 
Hilson rounded out the WJU double-digit scorers with 14 points and nine of those points coming in his 10 free throw attempts. Chase Lawson downed a trio of 3-pointers for nine points.
 
Clay Guillozet had the big West Liberty game with 25 points and 13 rebounds. David Dennis and Devin Hoehn had 21 and 20 points.
 
After being outrebounded by seven in the first half, the Cardinals came back and finished with a 69-60 final edge, including 24 on the offensive end.
 
Against the two stiff defenses, both offenses shot a combined 68 for 185 (36.7%). Over 55 minutes of play, the rivals also committed only 14 combined turnovers to 29 assists.
 
WJU led by seven points, 13-7, early on and pushed it back to seven, 36-29, before a Dan Monteroso layup with a minute in the half took it to 36-31 at intermission.
 
The home team made it the largest lead of the night of eight points, 39-31, to start the second half on a Highsmith three-point play. West Liberty came back with a 19-8 run over the next five minutes for a 60-47 lead at 12:20.
 
WJU answered with its own 10-2 run behind back-to-back treys from Drake Goddard and Preston Boswell for a 57-52 advantage. The Hilltoppers did not go away and the game would be tied four more times after a pair of Hilson free throws with 25 seconds, 73-73. The West Liberty final shot was off and the overtime periods started.
 
In the first overtime, a Highsmith layup with 46 seconds made it 83-81, before two 'Topper Zac Grossenbacher free throws retied it at 83 with 36 seconds.
 
WJU enjoyed the lead only 16 seconds in the second overtime on a Moseh jumper, 87-85, with 3:18. West Liberty led by as many as three points, 92-89, with 40 seconds, before Moseh added four more foul shots in two trips to the line with the second pair at 19 seconds, 93-93.
 
The Cardinals never trailed in the final extra period. After a Moseh layup started the scoring 11 seconds into the period and then Ritz's one of two foul shots to take the lead for good, 96-95.
 
WJU moves on to Charleston for a Friday showdown with West Virginia Wesleyan. The Mountain East Conference Quarterfinal matchup has a schedule 2:15 p.m. tipoff.
 
NOTES: WJU celebrated the five senior players of Ritz, Lawson, Jordan Fair, Matt Stewart and Mark Winters before the game began.

 
-GoCards-
 
 
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