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17 mbb regional 1st rd
Sam Santilli
96
Winner Wheeling Jesuit WJU 24-7
95
West Liberty WLU 28-4
Winner
Wheeling Jesuit WJU
24-7
96
Final
95
West Liberty WLU
28-4
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 OT 1 F
Wheeling Jesuit WJU 45 40 11 96
West Liberty WLU 41 44 10 95

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Chris Myers

Boswell Banks Game-Winning Trey, Cardinals Top Hilltoppers

Atlantic Regional Recap
WJU Postgame Press Conference
FAIRMONT, W.Va. – And round four goes to the Cardinals in another classic! Preston Boswell banked home the go-ahead 3-pointer with 5.4 seconds in overtime, before West Liberty's 3-point answer was waived off for the Wheeling Jesuit men's basketball, 96-95 overtime, victory in the NCAA Division II First Round.
 
In the sixth overtime period in four meetings, the Ohio Valley rivalry was destined to go down to the very end. In fact, it required video replay to seal the season series' fate. Kyle Ritz found Boswell in the right corner where the freshman banked in the 3-pointer for a 96-95 WJU (24-7) lead with 5.4 ticks in overtime.
 
After fumbling the inbounds pass, West Liberty (28-4) worked it down the court where Zac Grossenbacher had the Hilltopper fans celebrating as it went through at the buzzer. The play was video reviewed and proved that the ball was still in Grossenbacher's hands when the backboard lit up for the WJU classic victory.
 
"Incredible. What a game as it always is a bit better when we win the game," said Cardinals head coach Danny Sancomb. "Both teams fought extremely hard. West Liberty never lost in the first round before. Our guys were really tough and never gave in. They are a really hard team to beat and I am very proud that we got the job done today."
 
On his emotions after he saw the West Liberty game-winning 3-pointer drop, "I was honestly thinking how I could explain losing the game on a shot like that one. From one emotion to the other when the officials waved off the 3-pointer. Most important is, win or lose, getting it right and the officials did. Great job by the regional to have the access to this (the replay system)."
 
After a rough last couple games, Boswell connected on 7 of 13 shots and four treys for 18 points.
 
"I owe it to my teammates as Kyle Ritz made a great pass (for the go-ahead 3-pointer)," said Boswell.
 
It was the Cardinals' junior duo of Pat Moseh and Haywood Highsmith, who kept the team in the game. Moseh was the entire WJU offense in the extra period with the other eight points.Moseh finished with 23 points, 11 of 14 from the foul line to go with eight rebounds and five assists.
 
Highsmith owned the inside with 23 points of his own on 8 of 12 from the floor. He added 16 rebounds, 12 offensive, five assists, four blocks and a steal.
 
West Liberty received 30-point performances from both David Dennis and Devin Hoehn.

Moseh, though, almost finished the game in regulation. Tied at 85, Chase Lawson stole the ball from the Hilltoppers' Dennis and passed it ahead to Moseh, who drove into the lane where he was hit hard, but no foul called for the ensuing overtime.
 
"I was distraught," explained Moseh of not getting a foul called at the end or regulation. "I owe it to Coach Sancomb and my teammates, who reminded me of the 'next play' mentality."
 
WJU rallied from an early 10-2 deficit with a 13-3 burst for a one-point lead, 14-13 at 11:21 in the opening half. The Cardinals built the advantage to as many as 14 points, 41-27, on a Matt Stewart triple at 4:01. The Hilltoppers finished strong and cut the margin down to 45-41 by intermission.
 
West Liberty rebounded and took a lead of 63-57 with 11:50 remaining. WJU was not deterred and battled back from down two points three times in the final two minutes.
 
The Cardinals move on to Sunday's NCAA DII Round of 32. WJU will play No. 2 seed Shippensburg in a 5 p.m. matchup at Fairmont State's Joe Retton Arena. The Raiders breezed past the No. 7 seeded Panthers of Virginia Union, 79-59.


 
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