Wheeling, W. Va. - Since the end of the 2022-2023 season, the Wheeling University Men's Basketball team has been training and developing, waiting for the opportunity to get back on the court. On Friday, they will have the chance to do just that as they kick-off the 2023-2024 season at the 2023 West Liberty Classic with a pair of non-conference games. They open the weekend against Seton Hill on Friday at 8 PM and follow that up on Saturday with a battle against Shippensburg at 4 PM.
The 2022-2023 season didn't go quite the way that Cardinals would have liked as they finished 6-23 overall and 4-18 in Mountain East Conference (MEC) play. Despite their record, the Cardinals played much better than their record suggested, as they were in games every time, they took the court. Of their 23 losses, 16 of those would come by a margin of 10 points or less while 10 of those 16 games were decided by a margin of five points or less. Along the way, the Cardinals had some exciting moments, including a 114-107 home win over West Liberty for the first time in program history. The Cardinals were able to sneak into the MEC Tournament as the #10 seed but fell to #7 Glenville State in their first-round matchup 96-84, bringing their season to an end.
The Cardinals offense will be looking to recoup after losing four of their top six scorers from a season ago, but leading the way for the Cardinals will be junior Marcus Johnson. Johnson was the Cardinal's second leading scorer a season ago, averaging 18.1 points per game while finishing second on the team with a 48.5% shooting percentage from the floor. Johnson finished in double figures in all but four of the games he played last season, eclipsing the 20-point mark in 14 games a season ago. He was also a big contributor on the defensive end, tying for the team lead with 189 rebounds and an average of 6.5 rebounds per game.
As the Cardinals try to erase some of the offense they lost, they will look to some key contributors from their bench to step up in bigger roles. After being the main weapon off the bench for Chris Richardson last season, William Gabbert returns looking for a bigger role this season. He was the Cardinal's second best three-point shooter a season ago, shooting 44.4% from three-point range. He averaged 5.1 PPG a season ago and looks to translate that into even more success as he enters his junior season. Another player who will see an increased role this season is sophomore Caleb Murray. Murray had some big games for the Cardinals a season ago, with his biggest effort coming with 18 points against Davis & Elkins. He averaged 3.1 PPG off the bench and will be relied on more as he heads into 2023-2024.
As they kick-off the 2023-2024 season, the Cardinals will have to be road warriors, hitting the road for their first four games of the season. They begin the year at the West Liberty classic, before hitting the road for a matchup in Buffalo, New York against D'Youville. They then head right into their conference schedule against Notre Dame College on November 18th, before finally returning home for their opener against Salem on November 21st. Last season, the Cardinals were 1-11 away from the Alma Grace McDonough Center and they look to improve upon their road record as they look to get momentum before they kick off their home schedule.
The Matchups
Seton Hill: The Cardinals and Griffins are meeting for the 12th time in program history, with Wheeling leading the all-time series with a record of 7-5. It will be the first neutral site matchup between the two teams, with Wheeling leading the all-time record both in Wheeling (4-3) and in Greensburg, Pennsylvania (3-2). It will be the first meeting between the two teams since the 2019 season, with the Cardinals having won each of the last four meetings. In their most recent meeting, Wheeling picked up a 73-61 win with former Cardinal Emmanuel Ansong leading the way with 20 points and 10 rebounds in the victory.
Shippensburg: The Cardinals and Raiders are meeting for just the second time in program history on Saturday, with Wheeling winning the first meeting between the two teams. It will also be the second neutral site matchup between the two teams as the Cardinals look to continue their success in the second meeting between the two teams. In their first-ever meeting, Wheeling pulled out a 97-91 win back on March 12th, 2017. Former Cardinal Haywood Highsmith led the way with 26 points in that game while former Cardinal Pat Moseh finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds for a double double.
The Details
The Wheeling University Men's Basketball team kicks off the weekend on Friday, November 10th, when they take on Seton Hill at 7 PM inside the Academic Sports and Recreation Complex on the campus of West Liberty University. You can watch the game live by clicking HERE or follow along with Live Stats by clicking HERE.
