Charleston, W. Va. – Offense was a plenty in Charleston, West Virginia on Saturday as the Wheeling University Men's Basketball team (4-6, 1-4) battles the University of Charleston. The two teams combined to score 197 points, but the Cardinals would come out on the losing end of a 103-94 score. It was a career day for senior Sean Ealy, as he led the Cardinal offense throughout the day.

Ealy would go over the 30 point mark for the second time this season as he set a new career-high with 36 points on the night. The key to his success was his efficiency from the floor, shooting 12-23 (52.17%) from the floor, while hitting a season-high five three pointers on the day. The Cardinals had two other players finish in double figures, with Alex Smith scoring a career-high 16 points and Tee Harris adding 13 points in the effort. He was just one rebound away from a double-double, pacing the defense with nine rebounds while William Gabbert added eight rebounds of his own. Along with being the team's top scorer, Ealy also moved the ball around the court, leading the way with seven assists on the day.

The offense got going right from the get-go, with scores on the first five possessions. The Cardinals scored five points during the run, all courtesy of Alex Smith with a layup and a three-pointer. Defense was hard to find early on, with the teams combining for 21 points over the first three minutes. As they have been over the last several games, the Cardinals were making shots throughout the night, shooting a game beat 50% in the first half. With the game tied at 11-11, the Cardinals hit the first run of the night, scoring eight of the next 10 oints to build a 17-13 lead before the media timeout. Ealy would get going over the next five minutes, scoring four points , and helping his team build a 23-18 lead. Charleston added a three-pointer and by the 10-minute mark, the Cardinals would be staked to a 28-24 lead.

The lead wouldn't last long, as Charleston would go on a 9-4 run that tied the score at 33-33 with 7:38 to play. They took a slight lead at 35-33 and as they reached the final media timeout, the Golden Eagles were still staked to a 37-35 lead. Sean Ealy would flip the script to Wheeling's favor with a three-pointer and Alex Smith added a three of his own as the Cardinals took a 41-37 lead. Smith would be a big piece of the Cardinal's success down the stretch, adding another three and Tee Harris and Sean Ealy each added a pair of free throws to reach the 48-point mark. It was enough to hold the lead and the Cardinals went into halftime with a 48-44 advantage. Wheeling had shot the ball well to that point, but they would have to keep their success going in the second half.

Things started strong, with Tee Harris hitting a pair of three-pointers to start the half, and Harris added another jumper to give Wheeling a 56-52 lead with a 56-52 lead. A 4-0 Golden Eagle run tied the game at 56-56, but Ealy was right back at it with a three toPit Wheeling ahead 59-56. Wheeling maintained their slight advantage through the 15-minute media timeout, and Gabbert added a three-pointer to make it 65-60. The Golden Eagles would answer with a 9-0 run that gave them a 69-65 lead before a S.J. Hutchinson free throw broke the run. The Cardinals were unable to overcome the 9-0 run and trailed 71-68 heading into the final 10 minutes of play. Smith hit a jumper just before the timeout and the Cardinals were looking to carry the momentum.

It would take the Cardinals just two minutes to retake the lead, as a Curtis Harrison IV three-pointer made it 76-75 with 8:19 to play. The defense kept them in the lead for a minute and a half, but Charleston's Obinna  Uguwakazi hit a three that put the Golden Eagles ahead for good. Ealy would turn it on down the final 10-minute stretch, scoring 13 of his 36 points during that time. He was responsible for all but two of the Cardinal's points during the run, with his biggest shot being a three that made it 89-88 with 2:14 to play. Despite shooting 43.24% from the floor in the second half, it wasn't enough as the Cardinals fell to Charleston 103-94. It was another efficient game for the Cardinals, shooting 46.5% from the floor, and they look to continue that success down the stretch.

The Wheeling University Men's Basketball team returns to action on Tuesday, December 17th, when they face Bryant & Stratton at 11:30 AM.