Frostburg, MD. – After suffering a hard fought loss on Wednesday night, the Wheeling University Men's Basketball team (9-4, 5-2) hit the road Saturday afternoon looking to get back into the win column. It was a offensive display as the Cardinals battled Frostburg State, going over the century mark for the first time this season with a 115-98 win. Three different Cardinals scored 20+ points in the effort, including a double-double and a career high from Caleb Murray to lead the way.
Both offenses would get going right away, with Frostburg State scoring the first four points of the night. It would be the three ball that got the Cardinals going, as Tee Harris Jr. sank a 25-footer to stop the run. After a Bobcat layup, Ayden Goll would quickly tie things up from three and it was a 6-6 game three minutes in. It started a 10-0 Cardinal run that lasted the next two minutes as Wheeling took a 14-6 advantage. Harris would account for half the Cardinal points on the run, including his second three of the day, as he accounted for eight of his team's first 14 points. After Frostburg State closed the gap to 14-11 coming out of the media time out, it was once again Harris who broke the run with a pair of free throws. Murray would get his big day started with a three ball at the 13:25 mark, but the Bobcats continued to battle back, making it a 28-27 game with 10 and a half to go before halftime.
DJ Wingfield was able to create some breathing room with a three-pointer, but the Bobcats would not go away without a fight. Frostburg state was able to keep Wheeling within Five Points through the five-minute media time out, and Ayden Goll would hit a pair of free throws coming out of that break to make it 42-36. The Bobcats responded with a free throw of their own, before Murray caught fire from deep. He would hit back-to-back threes as the four minute mark passed by, and Wheeling would see their lead extend to 49-40. Over the final 4 minutes of the half, the Cardinals scored 14 points, With the three ball being a big part of that run. Murray would add his fourth three pointer of the half, while two more by Alex Smith kept adding fuel to the fire. With six seconds to go, Goll would hit a step back jumper to end the half and the Cardinals went into the locker room with a 63-51 lead.
After an inefficient outing against Fairmont State last time out, Wheeling rebounded in the first half with Frostburg State, making 55.6% of their shots. The efficiency was even better from three-point range, where Wheeling went 12-19 (63.2%) and looked to keep their efficiency going in the second half. The start of the new half was the longest scoring drought of the day, with the teams combining for just one point over the first 2 minutes of play. Murray would soon break that drought with his fifth three ball of the day as Wheeling took a 67-51 lead. It would be the senior who helped the Cardinals take over the game, as he took an assist from Curtis Harrison IV to the rim with 16:17 showing on the game clock. It sent Wheeling on a 8-2 run that put them in front 78-59 by the 15-minute mark. The Cardinals were able to maintain their double digit lead into the 10-minute mark where a defensive stand would seal the deal.
It started with a pair of free throws from Jerry Saunders Jr at the 10:57 mark as the Cardinals took an 89-74 lead. Wheeling would hold the Bobcats to just two points over the next two minutes and with 8:38 to play it was a 93-77 Wheeling lead. A Harris dunk got the Cardinals to the 99-point mark with 6:38 to play and Goll would go in for the layup that put Wheeling over the century mark for the first time this season. Harris would add another jumper before the final media timeout and suddenly Wheeling was staked to a 103-85 lead. The Cardinal starters were able to close out what they started, with Murray's sixth three ball of the day Getting the Cardinals to 108 points and putting Murray at the 30-point Mark for the first time in his career. The game would end with a first as Walker Spalding came to the free throw line and went 1-2, sinking the first points of his collegiate career. It would bring the game to its final score of 115-98.
Leading the way for the Cardinals was a career best effort from Caleb Murray, who picked up his first double-double of the season. He set a career-high with 30 points in the effort, while adding 10 rebounds and shooting 50% (6-12) from three-point range. Tee Harris Jr would finish right behind him with 25 points, while adding a 7-8 mark from the free throw line and a 3-6 mark from three-point range. The other Cardinal to reach the 20+ point mark was Ayden Goll, who finished with 22 points in the effort, while leading the way with five assists. It was one of the most efficient games of the season by the Cardinals, who shot 52.7% (39-74) from the floor and 53.3% (16-30) from three-point range.
The Wheeling University Men's Basketball team returns to action on Wednesday, January 14th, when they host Concord with tip-off at 7:30 PM.
