Wheeling, W. Va. - After battling through a four-game non-conference stretch over the first two weeks of the season, the Wheeling University Men's Basketball team (2-2, 0-0) is ready to jump head first into their Mountain East Conference (MEC) schedule. The team kicks off the run on Wednesday evening when they host Point Park with tip-off at 7:30 PM. It begins a two-week stretch that will see the Cardinals play three of their four games in conference play, with the exception being a Saturday trip to Salem on December 6th, and the Cardinals are looking to get out to a strong start.
Last time out, the team welcomed in Winston-Salem State in a game that saw the Cardinals put up their highest offensive output of the season. Both defenses would lead the way through the first half and, the game sat tied at 14-14 through the first nine minutes of play. It was an 8-0 Cardinal run over the next two minutes that would creat separation, and Wheeling entered the halftime break with a 39-28 lead. The Cardinals were shooting a healthy 46.88% from the floor, and would end up using the three-ball to help them secure the victory in the second half. Wheeling would go 9-24 (37.5%) from three-point range over the final 20 minutes as part of a 47-point outburst. Winston-Salem State would get up over the 35-point mark in the half, but the offensive push was enough to secure the 86-66 victory, and bring the Cardinal's record back to even at 2-2 entering the conference stretch.
Leading the way for the Cardinals for the third time in four games this season was redshirt freshman Ayden Goll, who finished with 15 points in the effort. He put together an efficient effort from the floor, hitting 50% (5-10) of his shots, while tying for the team lead going 3-7 (42.9%) from three-point range. He would be a big part of the Cardinal's second-half success from three-point range, hitting two of his three three-pointers in the second half, with his last one coming at the 3:43 mark to seal the deal. Goll has been in double digits in every game this season, finishing with 15 or more points in three of the four games. As they enter the conference stretch, Goll sits as the MEC's 9th leading scorer, while sitting top 20 in Field Goal Percentage, and he looks to build on both numbers as the season moves on.
Finishing right behind him was Curtis Harrison IV, who put together his best game of the season. He finished with 12 points and seven rebounds, while shooting a healthy 4-7 (57.1%) from the floor. He would finish as the Cardinal's most efficient shooter in the effort and tied for the team lead with seven rebounds and three steals. It was the first time this season that Harrison has reached double-digits, with his first three-pointer of the year helping him get to the mark. The passing game was led by Jerry Saunders Jr., who finished with a team-high five assists and finished with nine points off the bench for the Cardinals. Saunders would be automatic from the free throw line, finishing 4-4 while pulling down four rebounds in the effort.
As they hit the conference stretch, the Cardinals find themselves right in the middle of the pack, with most teams having played either four or five non-conference games. Wheeling currently sits fifth in the conference with a 2-2 record, and is a half game behind Charleston from being in the top four. Fairmont State and West Virginia State are the only two teams who have played a conference game, with the Falcons sitting atop the conference with a 4-1 record that includes a 1-0 start to conference play. As they negotiate these first two weeks of conference play, they will get the chance to battle some of the top teams right off the bat. After opening with Point Park on Wednesday, the Cardinals will see both West Virginia State and Charleston the following week, with both teams sitting in the top six of the conference in the early going.
The Match-up
The Cardinals and Pioneers are meeting for the fourth time in program history when they meet up Wednesday night, with Wheeling leading the all-time series at 2-1. The Cardinals have been successful on their home court in the all-time match-up, going 2-0 compared to an 0-1 record when they travel to Point Park. It has been a high-scoring series for Wheeling, with the team averaging 91.33 points per game and scoring 80+ points in two of the three meetings with the Pioneers.
Their last game came on February 26th, 2025, with the Cardinals earning an 82-62 win inside the Alma Grace McDonough Center. Former Cardinal Sean Ealy would lead Wheeling in the effort, finishing with 23 points while shooting 7-17 from the floor. Caleb Murray would have a near perfect day from the floor, shooting 6-7 including a 4-4 mark from three-point range, to finish with 16 points, while Tee Harris Jr. Added 13 points off the bench.
The Details
Tip-off for Wednesday night's game is scheduled for 7:30 PM inside the Alma Grace McDonough Center. You can watch the game live by clicking HERE or follow along with Live Stat7s by clicking HERE.
