Weekend Preview – WJU Basketball Welcomes Shepherd

By: Michael McDonald, Assistant Sports Information Director

Men's Basketball | 2/3/2017 10:04:00 AM

WHEELING, W.Va. – The Wheeling Jesuit basketball teams host the Shepherd Rams Saturday afternoon in what will be an exciting afternoon of basketball. The Cardinals welcome any student from a Catholic school in the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston to wear a shirt from their school to receive free admmission to the basketball games. The Cardinal women host the Rams at 2 o'clock and the men's basketball team follows in a 4 p.m. tip-off. All students attending will be recognized during halftime of the games.

Men's preview:
The Cardinal men welcome the Shepherd Rams into the McDonough Center, looking to sweep the season series. On December 3 in Shepherdstown, the Cardinals rushed past the Rams, 85-72, behind Pat Moseh's 22 points and five rebounds. Haywood Highsmith recorded a season-best 19 rebounds while scoring 15 points. The Rams were led by Naim Muhammad's 21 points and five rebounds.

The Cardinals hold a 5-2 mark over the Rams in the past four seasons, including a 2-1 record in the McDonough Center. WJU looks to snap its current two game skid, with road losses coming to Charleston and Fairmont State. The Cardinals occupy third position in the MEC rankings with an 11-4 league record.

Moseh continues to lead WJU with 15.6 points (17^th in MEC) while adding 5.8 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. Freshman Preston Boswell supplies 14.1 (19^th in MEC) points while Highsmith adds a league-leading 11.2 rebounds and 14 points per game (23^rdin MEC). Highsmith ranks second in the MEC in double-doubles with 11. Senior Kyle Ritz scores 12.4 points and collects 8.3 rebounds (7^th in MEC) on average.

As a team, the Cardinals average 88.6 points per game (3^rd in MEC) while holding their opponents to 76 points on average (2^nd in MEC). The Cardinal defense holds their opponents to a league leading 41 percent from the field while leading the way in rebounding margin at 8.1 rebounds per game.

Shepherd enters the contest on a one game skid, falling to West Liberty on Wednesday. Steffen Davis guides the offense with 16.8 points per game. AJ Carr adds 15.6 points and seven rebounds per game.

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