No.8 Toppers Journey To Wesleyan

BUCKHANNON, W.Va. — The No.8 West Liberty Hilltoppers males’s basketball return to the highway Saturday afternoon for a Mountain East Conference matchup at West Virginia Wesleyan Bobcats males’s basketball. Tip-off is about for 4 p.m. contained in the Rockefeller Center.

West Liberty enters the weekend with an 18-3 general report and a league-best 13-1 mark, using an eight-game profitable streak and sitting atop the MEC standings. The Hilltoppers proceed to ascertain themselves as one of the vital harmful groups in NCAA Division II, rating second nationally in scoring offense at 97.5 factors per sport whereas outscoring opponents by 17.1 factors per contest, the seventh-best margin within the nation.

The Hilltoppers’ success is pushed by a relentless tempo and distinctive ball motion. West Liberty averages 18.7 assists per sport, rating sixth nationally, and shoots 49.0 p.c from the sphere whereas flattening 10.5 three-pointers per sport. The Hilltoppers are additionally among the many nation’s most aggressive groups from past the arc, rating tenth nationally in three-point makes an attempt per sport.

Depth continues to be a defining attribute of West Liberty’s assault. The Hilltoppers lead all of NCAA Division II in bench scoring, averaging 49.5 factors per sport from reserves, permitting them to take care of tempo and stress for a full 40 minutes. Nine completely different gamers common a minimum of 7.0 factors per sport, making matchup preparation troublesome for opposing defenses.

Defensively, West Liberty has been equally imposing. The Hilltoppers rank third nationally in turnover margin (+8.1) and third in turnovers pressured per sport (20.5), whereas sitting fourth nationally in steals per sport (12.3). That stress regularly fuels transition alternatives, with West Liberty averaging 24.4 factors off turnovers.

Individually, the Hilltoppers are led by Jamie Muldowney, who averages 13.3 factors per sport, whereas Cameron Williams (11.1 ppg), Myles Montgomery (11.0 ppg), and Dante Spadafora (10.5 ppg) additionally rating in double figures. Aiden Davis supplies perimeter taking pictures punch, connecting on 45.5 p.c of his three-point makes an attempt, whereas Peter Lattos anchors the inside with 8.5 factors and 4.5 rebounds per sport on 64.0 p.c taking pictures.

West Virginia Wesleyan enters Saturday at 2-18 general and 1-12 in MEC play, averaging 73.5 factors per sport. The Bobcats will look to restrict turnovers and management tempo towards a West Liberty workforce that thrives when video games change into quick and chaotic.

Historically, West Liberty has loved success within the collection, holding an 81-67 all-time benefit and profitable 30 of the final 31 conferences. Earlier this season, the Hilltoppers earned a 101-65 victory over Wesleyan at dwelling, utilizing a balanced scoring effort and defensive stress to drag away early.