The Basics
The West Virginia Wesleyan men's basketball team is scheduled to tip off the 2021-22 season at the IRMC/Hilton Garden Inn Classic hosted by Indiana (Pa.) at the Kovalchick Convention & Athletic Complex Nov. 12-13. The season officially begins on Friday (Nov. 12) at 7:30 p.m. against the host Crimson Hawks followed by a 5:15 p.m. contest versus Pitt-Johnstown on Saturday (Nov. 13) before opening the home slate against Seton Hill on Monday (Nov. 15). 
 
Quick Hits
• Tommie Pope, Braeden McGrew, Jayden Hibbitt, Shawn Moran, Marvel McGowan, Zach Seese and Anthony Craven Jr. are all returners who contributed for Wesleyan during the shortened 2021 season. 
• Joseph Keenan joins the Bobcats after two seasons at UVA Wise, where he made 20 appearances for the Cavaliers in 2019-20.
• Several newcomers will spend their first season in Buckhannon in 2021-22 including John Ibukunoluwa, who is all the way from Perth, Australia.
• Derek Sloan was officially elevated to head men's basketball coach on Sept. 15 after two seasons as an assistant coach for previous head coach Nick Patella. Anton Vrebac was added as Sloan's assistant coach.

Scouting Indiana (Pa.)
The Crimson Hawks only played three game last winter, but put together an impressive 28-2 campaign in 2019-20 before COVID-19 canceled the NCAA Division II Tournament.
 
IUP is ranked No. 18 in the initial NCAA Division II poll. In exhibition play, Crimson Hawks had an outstanding showing at Illinois, one of top teams in NCAA Division I. Indiana (Pa.) fell to the Big Ten foe by a final score of 94-79 on Oct. 29.
 
NJIT transfer Shawndale Jones led all scorers with 25 points against the Fighting Illini. Tennessee State transfer Dave Morris added 15 points and seven rebounds for the Crimson Hawks.
 
Veteran basketball coach Joe Lombardi enters his 16^th season as the IUP head coach. Lombardi has a 333-102 (.774) overall record with 10 NCAA tournament appearances under his belt.
 
Scouting Pitt-Johnstown
The Mountain Cats did not compete during the 2021-22 season. Pitt-Johnstown barely missed the NCAA Tournament with a 22-9 record in 2019-20. The Mountain Cats will play the Mountain Lions of Concord in their season opener as part of the IRMC/Hilton Garden Inn Classic on Friday (Nov. 12) at 5:15 p.m.
 
Bob Rukavina took over the Pitt-Johnstown men's basketball program in 1989. The winningest coach in Pitt-Johnstown program history owns an overall record of 507-353.

Scouting Seton Hill
The Griffins did not compete during the 2021-22 season. Seton Hill finished 4-22 during the 2019-20 season. 
 
For the past three seasons Kendrick Saunders has been the head coach of the Griffins after a six year stint as an assistant coach at Navy. 

Up Next
West Virginia Wesleyan men's basketball will welcome Frostburg State to Buckhannon for the Mountain East Conference opener.