Box Score

WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. - Xavier Humphrey (Wake Forest, N.C.) came off the bench to elevate the University of Charleston men's basketball team with a career-best game of 32 points and nine rebounds, but the effort would not be enough for the Golden Eagles to overcome a hot-shooting Wheeling Jesuit team.

The third-seeded Golden Eagles faced a deficit from nearly the opening tip as the Cardinals opened up their three-point shooting arsenal early to keep the high-tempo UC squad at bay. WJU torched the nets in the opening stanza with 58 percent shooting from the floor that included 8-of-16 attempts from three-point land keeping a six to eight point advantage for much of the half.

WVIAC Player of the Year Paul "PJ" Reyes (Taylor, Mich.) struggled early to find his shooting touch, going 0-for-4 from behind the arc, but managed to book seven points to support Huphrey's nine point effort headed to the locker room at break down just 45-40.

In the second half Charleston continued its search for the explosive offensive powerhouse that had been on the court for the last month of the season, yet it was Humphrey from the bench that again stepped up to keep the Golden Eagles in the contest.

In a career effort Humphrey was the hot-hand the Golden Eagles continued to look to when Wheeling Jesuit was threatening to pull away. On atleast three seperate occasions Humphrey pinpointed the bottom of the net from well beyond three-point range to give his team a lift and hope of capping off a comeback attempt.

UC crawled back from a nine-point deficit on three seperate occasions before a deep Humphrey three-pointer tied the game at 76-76 with 1:06 remaining in the contest. Head Coach Mark Downey made the decision for WJU to have to get points from the foul line in the final minute and the strategy nearly paid off for the Golden Eagles.

Joe Prati split a pair of free throws with 32 seconds left to play handing the Cardinals a 77-76 lead. Humphrey was unable to convert after being forced through the paint without drawing a foul call, but the University of Charleston held on to late hope as the ball was ruled out to the Golden Eagles. Charleston drew up their final possession and the ball was lobbed just above the rim for Reyes who was unable to convert the dunk after being met at the ball by two Wheeling Jesuit players to end the NCAA Tournament run for UC.

Humphrey led all scorers in the contest with 32 points on 11-of-23 shooting that included seven three-point shots, while also accumulating a team-high nine rebounds. Evan Faulkner (Sandyhook, Ky.) was the only other Golden Eagle in double-figures scoring with 14 points.

For Wheeling Jesuit, Steve Catich came up big for the Cardinals when it was needed with 24 points and eight rebounds.

The loss eliminates the University of Charleston from NCAA Tournament play with an overall record of 26-7.