Wheeling, W. Va. - After five months of practicing and playing, it all comes down to the final two games as Wheeling Men's Basketball (10-16, 5-13) enters the final week of the regular season. As they enter play on Wednesday, the Cardinals have a chance to officially clinch their spot in the Mountain East Conference (MEC) Men's Basketball Tournament when they host Point Park at 5:30 PM. A win or a West Virginia Wesleyan loss to Fairmont State would clinch the Cardinals into one of the 10 spots in the tournament field.
The Cardinals went on the road Saturday as they continued MEC play against Glenville State, with a win and a West Virginia Wesleyan loss clinching them a playoff spot. Early on, the Cardinals were able to jump on the Pioneers, taking a 13-3 lead through the first seven minutes of the game. Glenville State would battle back to tie the game once and got to within one point two times, but an 8-3 Cardinal run before the half was enough to send them into the locker room with a 38-34 lead. The Cardinals came out of the locker room hot, building a 47-42 advantage, but the Pioneers would not quit throughout the night. They ended up scoring 46 second half points, shooting 44.83% from the floor, and the Cardinals would eventually fall by the 80-69 score.
Despite the loss, it was a big showing for junior S.J. Hutchinson, who put up 17 points on the day , hitting the mark for the second time this season. Hutchinson has filled a multitude of roles for the Cardinals this season, from starting the season off the bench to being a regular in the starting five, and he has excelled in as a member of the starting five. He got into double digits for the first time since scoring 13 points in a start against Fairmont State and was efficient from the floor, shooting 6-14 (42.9%) from the floor. Along with his offensive success, Hutchinson also had a strong day on the defensive effort, picking up 10 rebounds in the effort. It was his first career double-double and he looks to keep the success going as they hit the playoff run.
Also stepping up on the day for the Cardinals was Jerry Saunders Jr., who finished with 14 points while shooting 50% from the floor. Saunders has been a strong role player for the Cardinals this season, and has turned up his scoring over the last two games. He put up 15 points against Concord and added 14 against Glenville State, putting up double digit points in back-to-back games for the first time this season. The other double figure scorer for the Cardinals was Sean Ealy, who finished with 16 points in the effort. Ealy has been the model of consistency for the Cardinals throughout the season, scoring double figures in all but five games this season. He rounded out another big week of play, where he finished with 42 points in two games for the Cardinals.
As it stands entering play Wednesday, the Cardinals find themselves in a good position, sitting in a tie for eighth in the conference with Davis & Elkins. The Cardinals can no longer grab a first round bye, but have the chance to get as high as the #8 seed entering the tournament. It would give them a home game in the first round of the MEC Tournament, where they would face the #9 seed, which entering play would be Davis & Elkins. However, they hold a one-game lead over Point Park, who will be vying for one of those top two spots. The Cardinals look to clinch their playoff fate with a win and head into a rivalry game this weekend focusing on being healthy for tournament play.
The Matchup
The Cardinals and Pioneers are meeting for the third time in program history, with the all-time series sitting tied at 1-1. This will be the second meeting between the two teams in the Alma Grace McDonough Center, where the Cardinals are 1-0 compared to an 0-1 mark when going on the road. Offense has led the way for the Cardinals all-time, with the team averaging 96 PPG, and they look to continue that offensive success.
Their first meeting of the season came back on November 26th, 2024, in a game Point Park won 75-71. The Cardinals were led by Tee Harris Jr., who finished with 22 points in the game while leading the defense with 11 rebounds for a double-double. Sean Ealy would hit double figures with 17 points on the day, while William Gabbert rounded things out with 13 points of his own.
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 Stats by clicking HERE.
