WHEELING, W.Va. (Nov. 13) – The Wheeling University men's basketball team gave Will Ryan a win in his coaching debut, as the Cardinals earned a 73-61 victory against Seton Hill in the season-opener Wednesday night inside the Alma Grace McDonough Center.
 
Wheeling (1-0) featured four players in double-figures, led by sophomore forward Emmanuel Ansong (Bordentown, N.J./Canterbury School). Ansong registered a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds with three steals and a blocked shot in the win.
 
Junior guard Jordan Reid (Silver Spring, Md./Albert Einstein) dropped 16 points in his debut, while junior guard Jarett Haines (Bronx, N.Y./New Rochelle) and sophomore guard Jay Gentry (Milwaukee, Wisc./Brown Deer) posted 13 and 12 points, respectively.
 
The Cardinals opened up the game with a 10-4 lead through the first four minutes. Seton Hill (0-1) drew back within two, 14-12, around the 12-minute mark, before a basket-and-one and a jump shot in the paint by Reid helped rebuild the lead to 19-12 less than a minute later.
 
A transition layup by Gentry pushed the lead to double digits for the first time, 25-15, with 9:16 until halftime. The Griffins made a run and out-scored the Cardinals 17-4 over the next six minutes to take their first lead of the night at 32-29 with 3:24 to play in the first half.
 
Wheeling closed out the opening period strong with a 13-2 run of its own to close out the half with a 42-34 lead. The Cardinals made all four of their shot attempts from both the field and free-throw line and forced a trio of steals during the run.
 
Wheeling pushed its lead to 11 on a trey by Haines that made the score 49-38 with 17:09 to play in the contest. Seton Hill got as close as seven, 59-52, with 10:20 left on the clock, but the Cardinals did not let the Griffins get any closer. Wheeling led by double-digits for the final seven minutes of the game to secure the win in Will Ryan's debut.
 
The Cardinals shot 30-of-64 (47 percent) from the field, including a 14-of-27 (52 percent) showing in the second half. Seton Hill ended the night shooting 22-of-60 (37 percent).
 
Wheeling held a slight 39-to-37 edge on the glass, but Seton Hill was the benefactor of 18 second-chance points. The Cardinals finished with only nine.
 
Seton Hill was led by Nathan Davis and Jimmy Moon, who each finished with 12 points in the loss.
 
The Cardinals will have a week off and return to the court next Wednesday, November 20 when they host Malone for a non-conference game at 6 p.m.