Storylines – vs. West Liberty University
In his first season as head coach, Ben Howlett and the Hilltoppers will attempt to extend their win-streak to 14 this season as West Liberty visits the David J. Prior Convocation Center on Thursday night. Howlett was named to the head coaching position in March of 2017 after spending six seasons as the lead assistant coach. West Liberty concluded last season with a 28-4 overall record, 19-3 in the Mountain East Conference, falling in a tough overtime loss to Wheeling Jesuit in the NCAA Division II Atlantic Region quarterfinal, 96-95. The No.3 Hilltoppers have quickly climbed the ranks this season behind strong performances from leading scorers Dan Monteroso and Dalton Bolon. Monteroso is averaging 18.8 points per game while Bolon follows putting up 16.3 points per contest. Bolon also leads the Hilltoppers in rebounding, grabbing six boards per game. West Liberty sits comfortably atop the Mountain East Conference standings this season with an undefeated 8-0 record in league play. The Hilltoppers rank first in a majority of the conference statistical categories including scoring offense with Howlett's squad averaging 112.9 ppg with a +29.5 scoring margin. The Hilltoppers also lead the league in field goal percentage at 50.1 percent and three-point field goal percentage at 40.2 percent. West Liberty will continue its road trip as the team takes the court against Concord on Saturday.
About UVa-Wise
Blake Mellinger's team started the 2018 portion of the season on a two-game skid falling to both Fairmont State and Shepherd University on the road this past weekend. The Cavaliers fell 91-69 to the Fighting Falcons at the Joe Retton Arena with the Cavs shooting 42.5 percent from the field while Fairmont went 35-for-71 (49.3 percent) from the floor. The Falcons were assisted by 37 points off the bench but were outscored by UVa-Wise in the paint with the Cavs putting up 52 points to Fairmont's 42 points. The Cavalier men continued to struggle from the field against Shepherd going just 27-for-68 (39.7 percent) while the Rams put up an impressive 60 percent field goal percentage on the night. In the 85-71 loss to the Rams, sophomore guard Chance Sheffey netted a season-high 16 points on 6-for-13 shooting. Sophomore forward Yesid Mosquera-Perea went 6-for-12 for the night, hitting four shots from downtown, to earn a career-high 17 points. Sophomore point guard Michal Seals also put up 17 points while senior forward Dimitri Sousa added eight points and five rebounds. The Cavs were without redshirt senior forward Taiwo Badmus against Shepherd who continues to lead UVa-Wise in scoring and rebounding with 20.5 points and nine rebounds per game.
