Men's Basketball | 1/28/2018 7:41:00 PM

Box Score

    FAIRMONT, W.Va. – Dan Monteroso's potential game-winning shot drifted wide at the buzzer and No. 1-ranked West Liberty saw its season-opening 18-game winning streak snapped by a single point, 98-97, at defending NCAA Division II national runner-up Fairmont State Sunday night.
    Coach Ben Howlett's Hilltoppers (18-1, 13-1) had stormed all the way back from an early 17-point deficit to take a late lead against the hot-shooting Falcons (15-5, 11-3) only to see the hosts survive a frantic final few seconds to claim their 33^rd consecutive home win at Joe Retton Arena.
    Monteroso's floater with 2:29 to play had given West Liberty its first lead of the second half, 94-93, but Fairmont – which had dropped a 106-100 decision at WLU earlier this season – responded with back-to-back hoops from Caleb Davis and Vonte Montgomery to take a 97-94 lead into the final minute.
    A Hilltopper turnover gave the ball back to the hosts and the Black and Gold had to commit a series of fouls to put the Falcons on the line.
    Davis missed the back end of a 1-and-1 with 26 seconds to go and Monteroso raced the length of the court for a layup to make it 98-96 with 21 ticks still remaining.
    Monteroso came up with a steal at midcourt out of the West Liberty press and James Griffin was fouled as he drove to the hoop with 7 seconds on the clock.
    Griffin made 1-of-2 foul tosses to pull the Hilltoppers within a single point and the WLU press forced another turnover, getting the ball back with 5.5 seconds to go.
    The sideline in-bounds came to Brandon Smith, who handed off to a curling Monteroso in traffic at the top of the key but the Hilltopper senior was unable to knock down a heavily-contested jumper.
    The disappointing setback took some of the luster off an impressive West Liberty comeback as Fairmont State hit 9 of its first 10 shots on the night – including 5 3-pointers – and raced out to a commanding 28-11 lead before the game was seven minutes old.
    The Hilltoppers whittled the margin down to 56-46 at intermission but the Falcons were able to keep WLU at bay for much of the second half until West Liberty's final late-game run.
    Monteroso finished with a game-high 25 points to go along with 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Smith gave the visitors a huge lift off the bench with a career-high 21 points while Eric Meininger worked the paint for 17 points and 6 rebounds. Freshman Dalton Bolon battled foul trouble throughout and finished with 13 points before fouling out down the stretch.
    Montgomery paced the hosts with 24 points but freshman Cole VonHandorf's 18 points off the bench – including 4-of-5 shooting from the 3-point arc – were crucial. Jason Jolly and R.J. Hutcherson added 16 and 13 points, respectively.
    West Liberty will look to rebound on Thursday night when the Hilltoppers host UVa-Wise in a 7:30 p.m. game at the ASRC.