WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – UVa-Wise visits third-ranked West Liberty Saturday afternoon to finish its four-game road trip, tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m.
 
Storylines – at No. 3 West liberty University
The Cavaliers take on the No. 3 team in the nation only two days after facing the No. 2 team in the nation. The Hilltoppers are ranked No. 3 nationally according to the most recent National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) NCAA Division II poll, while Wheeling Jesuit University, who the Cavs played Thursday night, is No. 2.
 
Saturday afternoon's matchup will be the eighth time this season the Cavs have faced a nationally ranked opponent and the fourth time UVa-Wise has taken on a team ranked in the top three.
 
The Cavs were defeated 99-69 in the two teams' first meeting back on Jan. 16 inside the David J. Prior Convocation Center, the Hilltoppers were undefeated at the time and were the top-ranked team in the nation. A 63-point second half propelled the visiting Hilltoppers over the Cavs in the first contest this season. West Liberty used a full-court press to disrupt the Cavs' offense, especially in the last 20 minutes of play as the Hilltoppers forced the Cavs to commit 13 second-half turnovers. UVa-Wise trailed by only seven points at halftime (36-29) but were outscored by 23 in the second half as 23 Cavalier turnovers in the game led to 24 points for West Liberty. Senior forward Matt Day led all Cavs with a game-high 10 rebounds and 20 points, while sophomore guard Philip Owens II scored 12 points and dished out a game-high seven assists.
 
Currently, West Liberty sits one game back from the lead in the Mountain East Conference standings with a 15-2 league mark. The third-ranked Hilltoppers are coming off of a 115-105 home win over Concord University Thursday night.
 
About UVa-Wise
Saturday, UVa-Wise will try to snap a 10-game losing streak after nearly pulled off a monumental upset Thursday night at second-ranked Wheeling Jesuit, falling 92-87 in a two possession game.
 
Remarkably, only five different Cavs scored against the second-ranked Hilltoppers and only four even made a field goal in the contest. However, the Cavs found themselves down by only two at 80-78 with 1:50 remaining after back-to-back three-pointers by junior transfer forward Gervelle Kidd and sophomore guard Philip Owens II. UVa-Wise had come back from a 20-point deficit early in the second half and trailed 69-52 with only seven minutes to go. The Cavs only missed two shots in the final six minutes of the game and went 6-for-8 from three-point land during that span. Nevertheless, a three-pointer by the Cardinals' Eric Siefert, 7-for-8 free-throw shooting and a dunk by Kyle Ritz in the final two minutes of play sealed the victory for Wheeling Jesuit.
 
Following tomorrow's contest, the Cavs will have a five-day break from competition before beginning a three-game homestand Thursday with Notre Dame College.