WHEELING, W.Va. – The Davis & Elkins men's basketball team secured its first postseason victory under first-year head coach Dan Harris, edging Wheeling 63-61 in the opening round of the Mountain East Conference Tournament on Wednesday night at WesBanco Arena.

The eighth-seeded Senators (12-17) built a seven-point halftime lead and held off a second-half push from the Cardinals (11-18) to advance to the MEC Quarterfinals. D&E will face top-seeded and nationally-ranked No. 5 West Liberty on Friday at 6 p.m.

Nicolas Silva, who was named to the All-MEC Second Team earlier in the week, led the way with 16 points and 13 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season. Charleston Ponds added 11 points, while Dontrell Jenkins and Isaiah Buckley each chipped in nine.

The Senators dominated the glass, outrebounding Wheeling 53-41, and capitalized on second-chance opportunities with 18 points. D&E's defensive intensity played a key role, limiting Wheeling to 32.3% shooting from the field.

In his post-game press conference, Coach Harris had this to say: "What a basketball game that was. This is what March Madness is all about. Credit to Wheeling for fighting back and giving us a really good game in the second half. And credit to...our team for battling and going through adversity. We just found a way to win, and that's what this time of year is all about."

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With the win, Davis & Elkins advances to face a familiar foe in West Liberty, which swept the regular-season series. The Senators will look to pull off an upset against the nation's fifth-ranked team on Friday at WesBanco Arena.