The top-seeded Hilltoppers (28-3) scorched the nets at a 72 percent clip in the first half and led the No. 4 seed Falcons (22-11) by as many as 31 points down the stretch in rolling to their sixth consecutive Atlantic Region championship game berth.
   Fairmont’s Chase Morgan drained five 3-pointers and scored 17 of his 19 points in the game’s first nine minutes to keep the Falcons’ heads above water in the early going. A short jumpe
r by Morgan cut the WLU lead to 22-21 with 11:48 left in the half but West Liberty’s Devin Hoehn answered with a 3-pointer at the other end and the Hilltoppers were off to the races.
   The Hilltopper defense held Fairmont scoreless for the next six minutes as the hosts went on a 15-0 run, opening up what proved to be an insurmountable 37-21 edge with just under six minutes showing on the first half clock. The lead never dropped below double-figures the rest of the way as WLU coasted to a 48-32 halftime edge and never looked back.
   Hoehn led four double-figure scorers for the winners with a game-high 25 points while Atlantic Region Player of the Year Seger Bonifant added 17 points. Hoehn and Bonifant were a combined 14-of-17 from the floor and 8-of-9 from the 3-point arc. All-Region standout C.J. Hester just missed a double-double with 15 points and 9 rebounds while Joe Lococo added 11 points off the bench. West Liberty shot 64 percent (30-of-47) from the floor and 56 percent (9-of-16) from the 3-point line.
   Nick Harney led Fairmont State with 21 points while Morgan finished with 19.
