Storylines – vs. Lenoir-Rhyne University
Head coach Everick Sullivan's Bears will visit Wise Wednesday night in the team's first ever matchup with UVA Wise. Lenoir-Rhyne is coming off of a 1-1 week with a five-point victory over Carson-Newman University, 85-80, before falling in a one-point loss to Newberry, 73-72, Saturday afternoon to conclude the Bears' four-game homestand. Coach Sullivan's squad was selected to finish sixth in this years preseason South Atlantic Conference coaches' poll. Lenoir-Rhyne finished last season with a 21-11 overall record and went 12-8 in the conference while advancing to the SAC Tournament championship game as well as the first round of the NCAA Tournament. This campaign, Lenoir-Rhyne is averaging 82.5 points per game with opponents scoring 81.6 ppg. The Bears are led in the scoring category by junior R.J. Gunn who is posting 19.2 ppg (fourth in the SAC) while shooting a team-best 46.6 percent from the field and is recording a team-leading 6.1 rebounds per contest. Redshirt junior Darius Simmons (16.2 ppg) and junior Mason Hawks (12.8 ppg) are also scoring in double-figures for the Bears while Hawks is dishing out a team-high 3.7 assists per game. Lenoir-Rhyne is shooting 45.3 percent from the field, 36.5 percent from three-point range, and 68.6 percent from the foul line. The team is averaging 11.4 three-pointers per game and 16.6 assists while posting over 18 turnovers per contest. The Bears are registering 8.5 steals and 32.4 boards per game with opponents collecting nearly 42 rebounds per contest. Coach Sullivan's squad will stay on the road for two more road games with #22 Catawba College up first Saturday afternoon at 4:05 p.m.

About UVA Wise
Head coach Blake Mellinger's team will attempt to snap a three-game losing streak against Lenoir-Rhyne University inside the David J. Prior Convocation Center Wednesday night in the first of two home games this week. Battling two ranked opponentsto start the decade and a gritty Wingate team, UVA Wise now sits at 1-7 in the league and are 5-9 overall. Sophomore Cameron Whiteside leads the Cavaliers in scoring (18.8 ppg, fifth in the SAC) and rebounding (6.1 rpg) after having a career night inside Cuddy Arena this past Saturday. The 6-foot-4 forward notched a career-high 35 points on a career-high 13 field goals as he recorded his third double-double of the season alongside a career-high 12 boards in the loss to the Bulldogs. It was the 13th double-figure scoring game and the second 30+ point scoring contest for Whiteside this season. Senior Chance Sheffey continues to lead the league in assists with 5.5 per game while freshman Drew Greene stays atop the pack shooting 93.8 percent from the charity stripe. Redshirt sophomore Briggs Parris (15.6 ppg) and sophomore Kaeleb Carter (11.4) are also averaging double-figures for the Cavs while Parris' 3.5 three-point field goals per game place him second among league leaders. As a team, UVA Wise ranks second in assists per game (19.8) and third in free throw percentage (76.8 percent). Coach Mellinger's team will stay at home for a contest against Coker University Saturday at 4 p.m. before embarking on a three-game road tilt next week.