Men's Basketball | 11/11/2017 9:19:00 PM

Box Score

    WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – The No. 17-ranked West Liberty University men's basketball team closed out an impressive opening weekend here Saturday night with a 107-69 blowout of Seton Hill in the final game of the MEC/PSAC Crossover event at the ASRC.
    Coach Ben Howlett's Hilltoppers (2-0) forced 34 turnovers, drained a dozen 3-pointers and shot 50 percent from the floor in handing the Griffins (1-1) their first loss of the young season.
    "We're really doing a good job with our pressure right now," Howlett said, "and it worked really well tonight. We were forcing turnovers, creating offense with our defense and playing a lot of guys. I couldn't be happier with the start we've had to our season."
    Seton Hill, which came into Saturday's game off an 85-77 win against Charleston on Friday, hit three quick shots to grab an early 7-2 lead but that advantage quickly melted away.
    Five turnovers by the Griffins keyed a 16-2 Hilltopper spurt – capped by a Jordan Watson 3-pointer – that put the hosts up, 18-9, and the Black and Gold were on their way.
    "We're pressing more this season because we have the personnel to play this way," Howlett said. "We may not be the biggest team in the nation but I couldn't have a better group of guys. They practice with 100 percent effort and they play with 100 percent effort. They're relentless and that's always been the key to our success."
    Although the issue had been all but decided, Howlett pointed to a 40-second span midway through the second half as a signature moment that woke up the echoes of past Hilltopper squads.
    West Liberty was in control, 66-46, as the clock ticked under 12 minutes when redshirt freshman Dalton Bolon splashed home one of his five 3-point bombs on the evening.
    Bolon grabbed a rebound off a Seton Hill miss at the other end and got the ball out in transition to fellow redshirt freshman Luke Dyer who fed Evan French for a transition 3-pointer.
    Dyer then swiped the inbounds pass and got the ball out to James Griffin at the point. Griffin launched another 3-point try that spun in and out. A hustling French sailed in to grab the rebound and brought the crowd to his feet when he flipped it behind his head into the basket for a 74-46 lead.
    "Those little spurts like what we saw with Evan are what we call mini-blackouts," Howlett said. "We know we might give up some easy baskets from time to time in our press but we also know that, if we stay with it, it eventually takes its toll and we get those mini-blackouts that really help open things up."
    Bolon led all scorers with a game-high 21 points while All-American Dan Monteroso added 18 points. Griffin and French finished with a dozen points each while Watson chipped in with 10 more to round out the double-figure scorers.
    "Sitting out the redshirt year really helped me," Bolon said. "When I came in, I was pretty much a stand-alone shooter and couldn't really defend anyone. Coach Howlett worked really hard with Luke and myself last year and it really helped me expand my game to the point where I feel like I'm able to score in a variety of ways."
    Trevor Blondin had 18 points for Seton Hill, which also got 10 points from Anthony Karabotsos.
    The Hilltoppers make their first road trip of the season on Tuesday with a 7:30 p.m. game at Davis & Elkins.     In the opener, Charleston (1-1) held Cheyney (0-2) to just 17 second-half points in pulling away to the convincing nod. Kier Anderson and Austin Howard had 16 and 12 points, respectively, for the Golden Eagles while Lamont McManus charted a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
    The Wolves shot a dismal 22 percent (13-of-59) on the night and didn't have a player in double figures.