STORYLINES – VS. URBANA UNIVERSITY
Head Coach Nick Dials begins his second season with Urbana University as the team comes to Wise, Virginia with a 0-1 record after a loss to Salem this past weekend. The Blue Knights started their season with a home exhibition game against Wright-Patterson Air Force Base before taking on Cleveland State on the road in the team's final exhibition game Tuesday night. Urbana finished last season with a 4-24 overall record and a 3-19 mark in Mountain East Conference play. The Blue Knights return five letterwinners led by senior forward Malik Jacobs who was the leading scorer for Urbana last season, averaging 16.5 points per game and was named an All-MEC honorable mention. Jacobs also led the team in rebounding and steals last year, collecting 4.9 rebounds and 0.9 steals per game. Junior guard Ethan Snapp was the assists leader for the Blue Knights in their 2017-18 campaign as he dished out 2.2 assists per contest. As a team, Urbana averaged 70.6 points per game while giving up 81.1 points per game by their opponents last season. The Blue Knights were selected to finish last in this year's MEC men's basketball preseason poll.

ABOUT UVA-WISE
Blake Mellinger's squad extended its home win streak to six games Thursday night with a comeback 79-73 win over Alice Lloyd College in the Cavaliers' home opener. Junior forward Tajh Eason had a career day for the Cavs, tallying a double-double of 16 points and 15 rebounds along with three steals and two assists on the night. Five players saw double figures for the Cavs in Thursday night's win, led by junior guard Michal Seals who posted 21 points. Junior forward Eric Okenchi had 13 points while freshmen guards Briggs Parris and Cameron Whiteside both put up 12 points in the home opener. Both Eason and Okenchi have nearly averaged double-doubles through the start of the season with Eason averaging 12 points and nine rebounds while Okenchi has registered 10.3 points and 9.3 boards per contest. Junior guard Michal Seals has been an offensive weapon for UVa-Wise to start this season, scoring in double figures in each of the first three games and posting back-to-back 20+ point games. Seals has averaged 22 points, 12 assists, and six rebounds to start and is now tied for 31st in the program's 1,000 point club with 1,031 points to date. This season, UVa-Wise has shot just 39 percent (83-for-210) from the field to begin their campaign and averaging 81 points per contest. The Cavs earned victories over the Blue Knights in each of their meetings last season as they look to continue their home win streak Saturday afternoon against Urbana.