LIBERTY, Mo. - The William Jewell men's basketball team continues their early season run through the eastern MIAA as they host Emporia State on Tuesday before traveling across the state line to Washburn University on Saturday.

CARDINAL NOTES

• Jewell is coming off a tough 61-60 loss at the hands of Pittsburg State last Friday night. The Cardinals struggled offensively, shooting just 31.3% from the floor and 24.2% from three to fall.  
• Through three games, the Cardinals have proven to be one of the strongest defensive teams in Division II, coming into the week ranked 19th nationally and third in the GLVC, allowing opponents just 61 points per game. 
• The offense has come out of the gates slowly this winter, as Jewell is shooting just 37% through the first two weeks, including 23.5% from three and 62.9% from the free throw line. Despite that, four players are averaging in double-figures, led by Jordan Jermain's 18.0 per game. Newcomers Bradley Lightbourne and Jason Thirdkill, Jr. add 12.0 and 12.3, respectively with Eli Wingert chipping in 11.7 per outing. 
• Wingert is one of three players in Division II to come into the week averaging at least 8.0 rebounds, 2.3 steals, and 2.0 assists per game. He is joined by Jomo Goings of Slippery Rock Univesrity and West Liberty's Finley Woodward.
• Despite the early shooting struggles, the Cardinals have been excellent  at taking care of the basketball when on offense. They currently lead the GLVC and are sixth in the country with a turnover margin of 9.7. They also lead the league in turnovers forced per game with 18.67, while committing just 9.0 themselves. 
• Jermain led all scorers last Friday night with 18 points against Pittsburg State, where the fifth year senior also tied his career high with 12 rebounds, marking his second career double-double. He continues to inch closer to the top-10 all-time scoring list, currently sitting at No. 12 with 1,637 points, 22 points shy of surpassing Cam Cooper for 11th place. 
• This winter, the Cardinals were picked third in the GLVC preseason poll, their highest ever pick for the third straight season, and are receiving votes in the Division II national polls. 
• Chris McCabe has orchestrated one of the top turnarounds in the GLVC over the last five years. In his second season, the Cardinals were just 5-16 overall but since then he has led Jewell to 51 wins over last three years, third most in the league with a conference title. 
• This winter McCabe beefed up the schedule with hopes of preparing his team for the postseason. The Cardinals will face off with 28 Division II opponents, one of only five schools in the GLVC to do so, including seven who are among the preseason national polls. 
• The William Jewell College men's basketball program is the second oldest in NCAA Division II, beginning in 1898 and trailing only West Chester by one year. With their win over Purdue Northwest on November 11, 2023 the Cardinals reached the 1,700 victory plateau, becoming the fifth program in Division II to do so, joining Central Washington, Northern State, McKendree and Central Missouri.