Wheeling, W. Va. – Since coming back from the Christmas break, the Wheeling University Men's Basketball team (10-5, 6-3) has faced a full slate of Mountain East Conference (MEC) action. On Wednesday, they will break from that script when they return to the Alma Grace McDonough Center to battle Salem with tip-off at 7:30 PM. After splitting each of their last four contests, the Cardinals are looking to build some momentum on their side ahead of a big match-up with West Liberty this weekend.
The Cardinals got back in the win column this past Saturday, traveling to Glenville State to battle the Pioneers. Glenville State would jump out to an early 13-2 run, forcing the Cardinals to have to play catch-up the rest of the night. With under five minutes to go before the halftime break, the Cardinals trailed 30-17 before the offense began to really kick it into gear. They would get hot from three-point range, hitting three over the final four minutes, and they cut the deficit to 38-35 when the teams reached the halftime break. The Pioneers would extend their lead at the start of the new half, but the Cardinals were persistent, tying things up at 49-49 with 13:59 to play. The lead would change hands four times in the half and with 1:01 to go the score sat tied at 79-79. A three-pointer got the Cardinals ahead and it was free throws that closed the game out as the Cardinals went on to win by the final score of 86-80.
Leading the way with his second 20+ point performance in the last three games was Caleb Murray, who finished with 20 points in the effort. He would tie his career high from three-point range for the second time this season, going 6-13 (46.2%) from beyond the arc. Three-pointers accounted for all but one of the shots he made on the day, while he added two rebounds and one assist. The senior has been a spark plug from three-point range for the Cardinals, going 15-35 (44.1%) over his last three games. This has resulted in a big uptick in scoring for the senior, that has seen him average 21.0 points per game during that stretch. The stretch has helped raise his scoring average to 13.7 PPG, while his .357 three-point average sits fifth best in the conference. With the Cardinals battling for one of the top seeds in the conference, Murray's success from long range will pbe crucial for the Cardinal's success moving forward.
When the Cardinals needed a big shot off the bench, they turned to Jerry Saunders Jr., who finished with 14 points in the effort. Saunders was a big part of the Cardinal's first half comeback, hitting back-to-back three-pointers with under a minute to play to cut the Glenville State lead to three. It was the second time in the past three games that Saunders has been in double figures, while he would hit three of the four shots he took from beyond the arc. Although he did not get into double digits for the first time this season, Ayden Goll continued to have a big impact on the game in the win. He would finish with a team-best eight assists in the effort, as he helped the Cardinals control their ball. movement throughout the day. Along with his passing game, he would also tie for the team lead with two steals, equaling the mark put up by his teammate Alex Smith. Goll can impact the game in so many ways and will continue to lead the Cardinals down the playoff stretch.
As the Cardinals take a short break from the MEC schedule on Wednesday, they find themselves locked in a tight battle for the top spot in the conference. That #1 spot is currently occupied by West Liberty, who sits 13-3 overall and 8-1 in MEC play this season. Sitting right below them are both Fairmont State and Concord, each holding a 7-2 record, while Wheeling sits fourth at 6-3. With 11 conference games to go, the Cardinal's magic number to clinch a playoff spot sits at six, meaning any combination of six Cardinal wins or six West Virginia Wesleyan losses will clinch the Cardinals a playoff spot. Wheeling currently sits middle of the conference on both sides of the ball, sitting 5th scoring 86.4 PPG while holding 6th with 82.5 PPG allowed. They look to battle throughout the final stretch as they head towards WesBanco Arena.
The Match-up
The Cardinals and Tigers are meeting for the 34th time in program history, and the second time during the 2025-2026 season. Salem leads the all-time series at 17-16 but, when they meet in the Alma Grace McDonough Center, Wheeling has the advantage at 9-6. The Cardinals are averaging 78.06 PPG in the series, and are looking for their first season series sweep against the Tigers since the 2023-2024 season.
The last meeting between the two teams came on December 6th, 2025 in a game that Wheeling would win 93-85. Leading the way for the Cardinals was Caleb Murray, who put up 23 points and went 5-7 from three-point range. Ayden Goll added 16 points, including 14 free throws, while Jerry Saunders Jr. Added 14 points in the winning effort.
The Details
Tip-off for Wednesday'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.
