Since the formation of the Mountain East Conference, Glenville State has been the premier team in the league. The Pioneers have claimed three regular season championships and two conference tournament titles. A year ago, Kim Stephens' squad posted a perfect 22-0 mark in the MEC regular season before claming the tournament title as well. Picked to repeat as league champions, the team is off to a 7-1 start with its lone blemish coming at Fairmont State. Through eight games, the Pioneers are leading the nation by averaging 111.1 points per game. Junior Emily Stroller leads the league and ranks fourth nationally in scoring at 26 points per game. Stroller enters Saturday's game coming off back-to-back contests where she tallied at least 30 points. Earlier this season, she poured in 44 points on 18-of-26 shooting in a win against West Liberty University. Glenville State's offense is predicated on forcing turnovers; thus far, the Pioneers are forcing 26.5 turnovers per game. Overall, when team's don't turn it over, they are shooting 48.7 percent from the field against Glenville State.

Sophomore Kalee Johnson scored a career-high 14 points as UVa-Wise held off fa furious West Virginia Wesleyan comeback attempt to win 59-58 last time out. The Cavaliers are off to a 3-2 start in league play a year after winning just five MEC games all season. A big reason why has been the team's defense. Entering Saturday, first-year coach Jamie Cluesman's team  ranks first in the conference in field goal percentage defense (.387), first in 3-point field goal percentage defense(.270) and third in scoring defense (68.4 ppg). UVa-Wise's defense will be put to the test against a Glenville State team that is averaging 22 points per game more than any other team in the league.  In two career games against the Pioneers, sophomore Hanna Oliver has found success. The guard averaged 12.5 points per game while combining to make seven 3-pointers. Depth has been a benefit in the early going, nine players are averaging at least four points per game. The game is the lone home game out of a stretch of four games for the Cavaliers. UVa-Wise is 2-1 at the Prior Center this season while boasting a 2-3 away from home. Following the game, Cluesman's team will play three consecutive non-conference games before finishing the season with 16 straight MEC games.