Wheeling, W. Va. - Over the last two games, the Wheeling University Men's Basketball team (9-5, 5-3) has seen their offense soar on the court. They have scored 100+ points in each of the last two games, shooting 50% (73-146) during that span. On Saturday, that offense looks to keep things rolling as they travel to Glenville, West Virginia to battle the Pioneers with Tip-off at 4 PM.
The Cardinals were on their home floor last time out as they battled the top team in the Mountain East Conference (MEC) in Concord. The two teams went back and forth over the first five minutes of play, before the Mountain Lions pulled away, taking a 44-28 lead with 6:51 to go in the half. However, the Cardinals turned things around with an 11-0 run to get them back within five points, and the teams traded threes at the buzzer to send the game into halftime sitting at 55-50 in favor of Concord. After missing some key shots early, the Cardinals battled back to hit 47.4% of their shots in the first half and came out strong in the second half. They scored the first four points of the half And took their first lead since early on with 11:52 to play. Both teams would reach the 100-point mark, but in the end, the Cardinals would fall 108-100.
Redshirt freshman Ayden Goll has led the Cardinals throughout the season, and he set a new career high for the third time in 2025-2026. He finished with 35 points in the effort, while adding three rebounds, five assists, and two blocks to round out the day. It was his efficiency both from the floor and from charity stripe that fueled his success throughout the night. He would make 50% (9-18) of his shots from the floor, while going 5-9 (55.5%) from three-point range and fueling the strong second half start. From the free throw line, Goll went 12-13 (92.3%), with free throws accounting for just over a third of his points on the night. It raised his season average to 19.1 points per game and, over his last five games, he is averaging 21.4 PPG as he continues to improve his game down the stretch.
Another Cardinal to spark the offense was Caleb Murray, who put up 13 points and continued to be a spark plug from three-point range. He was one of the catalysts of their hot second half start, scoring five straight points to flip the scoreboard for the first time since the first half. He would go 3-9 (33.3%) from three-point range in the game, marking back-to-back games where he hit at least three three-pointers. On the defensive end, it was Alex Smith leading the charge, finishing with nine rebounds. He would play big on the defensive glass, pulling down six defensive rebounds, tying with teammate Curtis Harrison IV for the team lead. He would also be a leader in the passing game, finishing with six assists, while adding two steals to round out his big day on the court.
Despite the loss, the Cardinals remain in their top four standing, sitting fourth in the MEC with three weeks left in January. They currently hold a one-game lead over their Saturday opponent, Glenville State, who is looking to bounce back after a loss themselves last time out against West Liberty. The Cardinal defense will once again have their hands full, with the Pioneers ranking as the fourth highest scoring offense in the conference averaging 87.1 PPG. Wheeling has handled high scoring offenses as of late, taking on four of the top six scoring offenses in the conference over their last four games. Wheeling has allowed just 82.7 PPG this season across 14 games, allowing their opponents over the 80-point mark in 10 of those 15 games. Wheeling's defense will look to step up inside the Waco Center and keep the Pioneer offense at bay.
The Matchup
The Cardinals and Pioneers are meeting for the 45th time in program history on Saturday, with Wheeling leading the all-time series at 23-21. Glenville State has played better inside the Waco Center in the match-up, with Wheeling going 8-14 on the road, losing each of the last five road games against the Pioneers. Wheeling averages 82.41 points per game against Glenville State, and will look to bounce back after dropping the season series just a year ago.
The last meeting between the two programs came on February 22nd, 2025, in a game that Glenville State won 80-69. Leading the way was former Cardinal S.J. Hutchinson, who finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds in the effort. Former Cardinal Sean Ealy added 16 points, while Jerry Saunders Jr finished with 14 points to round out the effort.
The Details
Tip-off for Saturday's game is scheduled for 4 PM inside the Waco Center on the campus of Glenville State University. You can watch the game live by clicking HERE or follow along with Live Stats by clicking HERE.
