Men's Basketball | 11/10/2016 2:21:00 PM

WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – The No. 1-ranked West Liberty University men's basketball team will tip off the 2016-17 season at home on Friday when the Hilltoppers host Cheyney (Pa.) in the first game of a PSAC/MEC Challenge twinbill. 
Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. at the ASRC with a 7:30 p.m. game between Notre Dame (Ohio) and West Chester (Pa.) to follow. Tournament action continues on Saturday with Notre Dame taking on Cheyney at 5:30 p.m. followed by a West Liberty-West Chester showdown in the 7:30 p.m. nightcap.
The Hilltoppers, who have averaged more than 30 wins a season over the past seven years, return three All-MEC starters from last year's 31-4 squad but veteran head coach Jim Crutchfield has some  big shoes to fill.
Two-time NCAA Division II Player of the Year Seger Bonifant, the school's all-time leading scorer and the leading 3-point shooter in the history of NCAA men's basketball, is now playing professionally in Spain while steady senior Mike Lamberti has begun a collegiate coaching career in Florida.
"Losing the national player of the year and the leading 3-point shooter in NCAA history certainly leaves a void and Mike was a very important piece of the puzzle," Crutchfield said, "but I've been doing this long enough to understand that it's not just about replacing guys you lost. It's about developing the identity of this year's team and finding guys to absorb the responsibility for winning basketball games. 
"That's what we've been working on since practice got under way and I think the guys are tired of playing against each other. We're looking forward to the start of the season."
Crutchfield isn't lacking for players with winning experience. Seniors Devin Hoehn and Zac Grossenbacher each earned second-team All-MEC laurels a year ago while sophomore guard David Dennis was the MEC Freshman of the Year and a member of the NCAA Division II Bulletin's All-Freshman Team.
The roster also boasts six other returning lettermen with multiple double-figure scoring games on their resumes along with a pair of NCAA Division I transfers in St. Clairsville (Ohio) native Dan Monteroso - who played three years of football at Purdue - and Australia native James Griffin - who saw action as a true freshman at Marist two years ago before redshirting last winter.
This weekend's opponents present an interesting contrast. 
Cheyney is coming off a disappointing 2-24 campaign but a new coach, six returning lettermen and a host of newcomers have sparked hopes of a quick turnaround.
West Chester returns four starters and several lettermen from last year's 23-7 squad that advanced to its third PSAC championship game in the past five seasons and followed that up with the school's eighth NCAA Tournament bid.
The West Liberty University women's basketball team also tips off its season on Friday but the Lady Hilltoppers will be in Erie, Pa. for an MEC/PSAC Challenge event hosted by Mercyhurst.
Coach Lynn Ullom's two-time defending Mountain East Conference champions take on host Mercyhurst in an 8 p.m. game on Friday before matching up against No. 8-ranked California (Pa.) Saturdayat 3 p.m.