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Storylines – The West Virginia State Game
UVa-Wise won its first ever Mountain East Conference game against West Virginia State in Wise, a year ago. The Cavaliers entered that contest winless at 0-7. Coach Dewey Lusk's squad will look to repeat last year's performance on Saturday as the team once again faces the Yellow Jackets in search of the first win of the season. West Virginia State enters on a two-game losing streak. Most recently, the Yellow Jackets dropped a 28-10 decision on the road to the University of Charleston. Like UVa-Wise, West Virginia State struggles to put the ball in the end zone. Through seven games, the Yellow Jackets are averaging 14.9 points per game, the only team averaging fewer points per game is UVa-Wise at 9.7 a contest.
About UVa-Wise
Sophomore linebacker Zach Blair continues to be a bright spot for the Cavaliers. Blair has registered 61 tackles to rank third in the MEC while his 18 tackles for loss lead the conference. Fellow linebacker Jeremiah Cooke has tallied 44 stops in senior season as he has made the transistion from defensive end to linebacker. On offense, Jeremy Eubank received his first start of the season against Glenville State. The sophomore had a turnover free day as he completed 17 of 27 pass attempts for 102 yards. The Cavaliers started the season having success rushing the football. The last three weeks have seen a reversal in the ground game, against Notre Dame, UVa-Wise rushed for 33 yards before being limited to nine rushing yards against Shepherd. In last week's loss to Glenville State, the Cavaliers gained 63 rushing yards. West Virginia State enters Saturday's game giving up 155 rushing yards a contest.