Wheeling, W. Va. - It is the end of February and the race for the Mountain East Conference (MEC) playoffs is in full swing. The Wheeling University Men's Basketball team (8-17, 7-12) has punched their ticket to the tournament, but are fighting for seeding when they take on Frostburg State on Saturday at 4 PM. The Cardinals currently hold the #9 seed but have a chance to move up over the final three games of the season.
Last time Wheeling took the court, they fell to #10 Fairmont State 75-68 after battling back from being down by 11 with nine minutes to play. It was a back-and-forth game through the first half with the lead changing hands four different times over the first 20 minutes of play, with neither team leading by more than seven points. Wheeling led 35-34 as the teams broke for halftime but Fairmont would score 41 second half points as Wheeling fell by seven. They moved to 7-12 in conference play and stayed in the #9 seed in the MEC.
The Cardinals had a pair of players finish the day with double doubles as Jordan Reid and John Korte each reached the mark. Reid led the offense with 22 points while grabbing 10 rebounds while Korte led the defense with 13 rebounds and scored 11 points on the night. Both players have played instrumental parts in their team's success this season and both put together one of their best games of the season as Wheeling competes down the stretch.
The final Cardinal to finish the night in double digits was Brent Price, who scored 14 points coming off the bench while shooting a team-best 44.4% from the floor. While he did not score as many points as normal, Jarett Haines played a big role passing the ball around with a team-high five assists in the game while scoring eight points. As a team, they shot 33.3% from the floor and 41.7% from beyond the arc. With just three games left, Wheeling is looking to play their best basketball of the season as they come down the stretch.
A win on Saturday would officially guarantee Wheeling a spot in the MEC playoffs, but their seeding will be decided through these final three games. Currently, they hold the #9 seed, but are in a tie with Glenville State for eight and are a game behind Alderson Broaddus for seventh and two games behind Concord for sixth. Wheeling could get as high as the #6 seed if they win their final three games and get some help from around the conference. They are looking to string together their best basketball of the season as they head towards the MEC playoffs.
The Matchup
The Cardinals and Bobcats will be meeting for the sixth time in team history and the second time this season. Over the first five games, Wheeling has won all five games including a 97-80 victory earlier this season in the Alma Grace McDonough Center. They are averaging 85.6 points per game all-time against Frostburg State and are a perfect 2-0 when playing in Frostburg, Maryland.
In their first game of the year, Wheeling had five players finish the game in double digits with Jarett Haines and Jay Gentry each eclipsing the 20-point mark. Haines led the effort with 27 points while Gentry added 21 points in the win. Jordan Reid (14), John Korte (13), and Andrew Taylor (12) each finished in double figures in the game.
The Details
Tip-off for Saturday's game is scheduled for 4 PM in Frostburg, Maryland. You can watch the game live by clicking HERE or follow along with Live Stats by clicking HERE.
