Wheeling, W. Va. - It has been a season full of ups and downs for the Wheeling University Men's Basketball team (9-19, 8-14), but they enter the Mountain East Conference (MEC) tournament as the #9 seed. They open tournament play with a rematch of last Wednesday's game when they take on Alderson Broaddus with tip-off scheduled for 8:30 pm. The Cardinals have made the MEC Tournament every season since joining the conference in 2013 and are looking for their first MEC Championship since the 2017-2018 season.
The Men's Basketball team finished the season facing off with rival West Liberty in a game they lost 109-94. The offense was firing on all cylinders throughout the night as the Cardinals had three players finish with 20+ points, but an early deficit was too much for the Cardinals to overcome. The Hilltoppers scored 14 of the first 19 points to start the game and Wheeling wasn't able to recover. The Cardinals got as close as 14 points with six minutes to play, but that was the closest they would come as they ended up falling 109-94. The Cardinals scored nine points more than their previous game with the Hilltoppers.
Leading the way for the Cardinals was senior Jay Gentry, who scored a season-high 24 points in the loss, including a season-high six three-pointers in the game. Gentry eclipsed the 20-point mark for the first time this season and hit the most three-pointers in a game for the Cardinals this season. Gentry has had his share of ups and downs throughout the season, but he has shown that he can come through when his team needs him most. When he is hot, he adds another level to the Cardinals offense and will be a key part to this playoff run.
Aside from Gentry, the Cardinals normal 1-2 punch of Joran Reid and Jarett Haines also reached the 20-point mark putting up 20 points apiece. Reid just missed out on a double-double, tying for the team lead with seven rebounds while leading the way with four rebounds on the night. Haines also finished with 20 points on the night and shot a team-best 50% from the floor. With all three scorers heading into the tournament hot, Wheeling is hoping that they can tap into their talents and make a run.
For the Cardinals, it is the second straight year in which they will have to play one of the first-round games in the MEC tournament. In the 2021 MEC tournament, the Cardinals pulled off a dramatic upset when they took down Alderson Broaddus in an offensive affair 97-91. The Cardinals are looking for similar success this time around against a Glenville State team that they split with during the regular season, with the home team winning each game. If the Cardinals were to beat Glenville State on Wednesday, they would advance to the MEC Quarterfinal round where they would have a rematch against West Liberty.
The Matchup
The Cardinals and Pioneers are meeting for the 36th time in team history, but the first time in postseason play in team history. The two teams have been wrapped in two offensive battles this season with the combined point total sitting at 361 between the two teams. Wheeling won the battle inside the Alma Grace McDonough Center earlier this season 92-83 and Glenville responded with a win on their home court in the last meeting between the two. That game involved a two-and-a-half-hour power delay, but the Pioneers would win the game 96-90.
Jarett Haines and Jordan Reid each had big showings in that game, scoring 35 and 30 points respectively in the loss. Haines had a team-high five assists in the game while Reid finished second with five rebounds. Andrew Taylor was the third and final Cardinal to finish in double figures in that game with 14 points.
The Details
Tip-off for Wednesday's first round playoff match is scheduled for 8:30 pm inside WesBanco Arena. You can watch the game live by clicking HERE or follow along with Live Stats by clicking HERE.
