Wheeling, W. Va- The Wheeling University Men's Basketball team (6-8), (1-6) had many of its alums in attendance overlooking their play from the McDonough Center's indoor track. They would see the present-day Cardinals fall early to the Bobcats in the first half but then watched as Wheeling surged back into the contest, taking a slight advantage over their Mountain East Conference (MEC) foe. However, Frostburg would finish the game strongly and leave Wheeling with hung heads, as they came short 91-86.
The beginning of the contest started evenly, but Alex Smith registered six of eight points to pull the Cardinals ahead 15-9. The Bobcats responded in kind with a run of their own and tied it up at the 13:46 mark of the first half. Frostburg took their first lead with a three-ball by Jayshaun Freeman, but Caleb Murray answered with a shot of his own from the corner to tie it back up at 20. Freeman connected from range again to take back the lead and Frostburg refused to relinquish the lead. A layup from Curtis Harrison IV brought it to within two at 8:38, but the Bobcats continued to pounce and build their lead. They separated from the Cards by 12 points twice late in the first half. Sean Ealy converted on an and-one to close the half down by nine, 51-42.
FSU maintained their lead, but Wheeling was determined to chip away at it slowly. Jerry Saunders Jr. nabbed an offensive rebound and kicked it out to William Gabbert for a big three-pointer to close the gap to four with under 17 and a half to play. What appeared to be a momentum-sealing dunk for Frostburg's Koby Baptiste was immediately answered with a jam from Tee Harris jr. This would begin a takeover for Harris, as he became responsible for eight points in the following four minutes. Then, Harrison tipped the ball with enough power to trail by just one, 68-67, but Smith snatched the ball from a Bobcat player and drove the length of the floor, banking it off the glass to give his Cardinals their first lead since the first half. S.J Hutchinson converted on a tough three-ball, which resulted in the Cards picking up the following four markers to go up 76-70 with seven minutes to play. Each team traded buckets as time was winding down. With five minutes left in the contest, Ealy took a trip to the line and was perfect, allowing the Cardinals to go up 80-79, but a layup from FSU's Chase Whippen at the other end of the court propelled the Bobcats in front and would end up being the game's final lead change. Ealy made good on his free throws once more with just over three minutes to play, making it a one-possession game again, but the Bobcats hung on for the remainder tilt, and when time expired, Wheeling had not been able to overcome Frostburg, falling 91-86.
In the loss, four of the five starters finished with double figures. Sean Ealy led the charge with 22 points. Tee Harris followed behind him with 17 points, was two for three behind the arc, and had a team-leading three steals. Alex Smith recorded the only double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds. His performance marked his second double-double this season and his fifth, where he has finished with 10+ rebounds. William Gabbert ended his night with 12 points, and Curtis Harrison IV finished with seven.
The Wheeling University Men's Basketball team returns to the McDonough Center on Wednesday, January 15, to battle against the Glenville Pioneers at 7:30 pm.
