WISE, Va. – UVa-Wise men's basketball continues its three-game homestand Thursday by hosting West Virginia Wesleyan in a 7:30 p.m. tip-off.
 
Storylines – vs. West Virginia Wesleyan
The Cavaliers take on the Bobcats in each teams' third Mountain East Conference game of the season. West Virginia Wesleyan enters tomorrow's contest having defeated Shepherd University on the road (78-71) after falling at Fairmont State (78-61) in league play. Most recently, the Bobcats were defeated 82-75 in their home opener against Davis & Elkins Monday. The Cavs will attempt to defeat the Bobcats for the first time since joining the MEC three seasons ago, UVa-Wise lost to West Virginia Wesleyan 65-44 almost exactly one year ago in Wise on Dec. 4, 2014. The Bobcats also got the better part of the Cavs in Buckhannon, West Virginia, last season, defeating UVa-Wise 74-59.
 
Picked to finish eighth in the MEC according to the preseason poll as voted upon by the league's head coaches, West Virginia Wesleyan is guided by second-year Head Coach Gary Nottingham who compiled an 11-18 overall record (9-13 MEC) in his first season at the helm of the program. Currently fifth in the MEC standings, the Bobcats are led by returning All-MEC First Team selection senior forward Tanner McGrew who is averaging 20.3 points per game and a conference-best 12.3 rebounds per game. McGrew is one of five West Virginia Wesleyan players averaging double-digit scoring as senior guard Chris Dewberry (17.3 ppg) is the second-leading scorer, followed by freshman forward Fred Brondsted (11.3 ppg), senior guard Gerrett Grantham (10.7 ppg) and junior guard Mo Berchie (10.3 ppg), who also leads the team in assists (5.5 apg).
 
About UVa-Wise
UVa-Wise is coming off its first win of the season Monday when the Cavs defeated Montreat College (N.C.) 104-76 inside the David J. Prior Convocation Center. The victory was the first home win for UVa-Wise since Feb. 22, 2014, and the largest margin of victory since the Cavs defeated visiting Bob Jones University by forty points (90-50) on Jan. 9, 2012. Several Cavs recorded career-highs in Monday's win including sophomore forward Dimitri Sousa with a career-high 20 points and redshirt freshman guard Lashain Matthews, who had a career-high 17 points and seven assists. Junior Forward Gervelle Kidd earned a career-high 13 points and 10 rebounds while senior forward Matt Day registered his third double-double of the early season with 14 points and career-high tying 14 rebounds and five assists.
 
Day (10.7 rpg) and McGrew (12.3 rpg) are currently the top two rebounders in the MEC.
 
The Cavs will finish up their three-game homestand Saturday when they face the Pioneers of Glenville State at 4 p.m. before having eight days off from competition.