LIBERTY, Mo. The William Jewell men's basketball team opens the 2022-2023 season this weekend at the GLVC/GLIAC Crossover and the fourth season under the direction of Chris McCabe. 
 

THE SERIES
The Cardinals 1-3 all-time against Davenport University, dropping last season's meeting 75-67. Jewell has defeated Purdue Northwest is all four meetings including a 76-71 victory last fall. The Cardinals will look to go 2-0 on opening weekend for the first time since 2017-18.
 

CARDINAL NOTES

• The Cardinals have high expectations this winter, returning all but two players from a season ago. Jewell returns 11 players, added three newcomers and will benefit from the return of Robbie Hanson (injury) as well as the debuts of Eli Wingert and Jalen George who redshirted last winter. The Cardinals were picked fifth in the GLVC preseason poll, their highest selection since joining the league in 2011. 
• Leading the returners is junior Jordan Jermain who is back after earning All-GLVC Second Team honors last season. He averaged 13.6 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per contest. 
• Mason Alexander elected to take advantage of his additional season of eligibility due to COVID-19 this winter and enters the season looking to leave his mark in the record book and the national scene. The fifth year senior is already among the top-five all-time in program history in three point field goals made and top-25 in games played. He enters the season as one of the top-five in Division II among active players in three pointers. 
• Jewell was one of the top defensive teams in the land last season, allowing opponents just 67.5 points per game, fifth in the GLVC and 46th in Division II. The Cardinals held four of their last five opponents under 72 points, including holding eventual Sweet 16 team UMSL to 59 points. Jewell was also tremendous defensively from long range, holding teams to a dismal 31.9% from three. 
• While holding their opponent relatively quiet from the outside, the Cardinals themselves made noise, connecting on nearly 37% of their three point field goal tries and were third in the GLVC with 249 made last season, led by Jermain and Alexander with 70 and 61, respectively, as one of only two teams in the GLVC with two players with more than 50 triples.