OWENSBORO, Ky. (Nov. 30) – A three pointer with five seconds left in the game dealt the Cardinals a 77-74 loss to close out the Kentucky Wesleyan Thanksgiving Classic Saturday afternoon.
 
The loss snaps Wheeling University's five-game winning-streak to start the season and sends it to 5-1 overall. The Cardinals were playing their second game in 14 hours after defeating Kentucky Wesleyan the night prior. Meanwhile, the Dragons improve to 5-3 overall this season.
 
Both sophomore Jay Gentry (Milwaukee, Wisc./Brown Deer) and junior Jordan Reid (Silver Spring, Md./Albert Einstein) posted over 20 points. Gentry led the team with 25, while Reid poured in 23 in the loss. Junior guard Jarett Haines (Bronx, N.Y./New Rochelle) also added 11 points and five assists in the loss.
 
Wheeling controlled the early stages of the game and led by as many as 17 points. With the score 27-10 at the 7:24-mark, Tiffin managed to out-score Wheeling 19-2 over the next six minutes to tie the game up at 29-29 with 1:45 left in the first half. A pair of baskets by Gentry in the final two minutes managed to give Wheeling a 34-29 lead heading into halftime.
 
Both teams exchanged the lead down the stretch. Tiffin built its biggest lead of the night at 71-65 with 2:54 left in the game and appeared to be headed towards an easy victory. The Cardinals managed to go on a 9-1 run, including a go-ahead layup by Reid with 32 seconds left on the clock to take a 74-72 lead.
 
Tiffin took a timeout and drained a corner trey to take a 75-74 lead with five seconds left on the clock. The Dragons got a turnover and knocked down a pair of free throws to compete the win and deal Wheeling its first loss of the season.
 
Tiffin was led by Jordan Wesley's 19 points and nine rebounds in the win.
 
Wheeling heads to Elkins, West Virginia on Wednesday, December 4 for a Mountain East Conference (MEC) game at 7:30 p.m.