Wheeling, W. Va. - After wrapping up the 2024 portion of the Mountain East Conference (MEC) schedule, the Wheeling University Men's Basketball team (4-6, 1-4) prepares to wrap up the first half of their schedule before the holiday break. They welcome in Bryant & Stratton College for a special Tuesday matinee inside the Alma Grace McDonough Center, with tip-off scheduled at 11:30 AM. The Cardinals will be celebrating kids day, welcoming local elementary schools to join in on the fun on the court.
Last time out, the Cardinals were locked in an offensive battle with MEC powerhouse the University of Charleston. The Golden Eagles came into the game averaging 83.0 PPG, and the Cardinals were able to keep up with them throughout the first half. No team had larger than a six-point advantage at any point throughout the first half, with the Cardinals holding that lead at 45-39 with 2:46 to play. The Cardinals shot 50% as a team in the first half and would use that momentum to head into the locker room with a 48-46 lead. The Cardinals continued that efficiency into the second half, putting up a 43.24% mark from the floor, but Charleston just kept on coming. They would make 70% of their second half shots and scored 57 points over the final 20 minutes to overtake the Cardinals. Wheeling fell 103-94, putting up a season-high in points while battling the top team in the conference.
Leading the way once again for the Cardinal offense was senior guard Sean Ealy, who put up a career-high 36 points in the winning effort. He shot 52.2% from the floor, including a career-best five free throws to lead the Cardinals to a season-high 94 points. However, while he continued to score big, Ealy also put up a season-high seven assists on the day, while adding three rebounds. It's the third time this season that Ealy has gone over the five assist mark, and the second time in the last three games. While Ealy is the team's biggest scoring threat on the floor, averaging 18.2 PPG, the Cardinals will look for him to be a leader in all facets of the offense as the team heads down the stretch in 2025.
Normally known for his work on the defensive side of the ball, Alex Smith made a name for himself on offense on Saturday, putting up 16 points in the effort. It was a new career-high for the redshirt sophomore who shot 60% from the floor and 50% from three-point range on the night. Smith has consistently been the team's top performer on the defensive side and has been challenged to score more by the Wheeling coaching staff. He has been in double figures in two of his last four games and looks to continue that offensive success. Leading the defensive effort was Tee Harris Jr., who nearly finished with a double-double with 13 points and nine rebounds. Seven of his nine rebounds came on the defensive side as he continued to create offensive opportunities for his team.
As the Cardinals head into the Christmas break, they look to build off their successes on offensive side and combine that with their defensive success. The Cardinals will play two games during the break, including Tuesday's matchup with Bryant & Stratton, and will use each of those two non-conference games to prepare for the second half run. Head Coach Chris Richardson has been happy with the way his team has dealt with both success and adversity this season, and has seen growth on both ends of the court. As they head into the 2025 portion of the schedule, he is looking for his team to take that growth and use it to build down the run towards the MEC Tournament.
The Matchup
The Cardinals and Bobcats will be meeting for the first time in program history as Bryant & Stratton makes the trip to the Alma Grace McDonough Center. Bryant & Stratton is playing their first season as a four-year program, taking on several opponents from the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) on the day. They enter Tuesday's game sitting at 5-7 overall, and are coming off a big win over Miami-Middletown last time out.
The Bobcats are led by Redshirt Sophomore Detric Hearst, who is averaging 12.3 PPG through the team's first 12 games. He has shot a healthy 53.1% from the floor, and is coming off a 22-point effort last time out. Hearst is one of four Bobcats to be averaging double-digit points per game this season as the Cardinal defense looks to shutdown the high powered Bryant & Stratton offense.
The Details
Tip-off for Tuesday's game is scheduled for 11:30 AM inside the Alma Grace McDonough Center. You can watch the game live by clicking HERE or follow along with Live Stats by clicking HERE.
