RALEIGH, N.C. – Ranked No. 4 in the country, the West Liberty University men's basketball team tips off the 2019-20 season here this weekend at the annual Shaw University Classic.
    The three-day event features a mix of schools from the three NCAA Division I Atlantic Region conferences. Coach Ben Howlett's Hilltoppers and Frostburg State carry the Mountain East Conference banner with Shaw and Saint Augustine's (N.C.) representing the CIAA and Mansfield (Pa.) from the PSAC.
    The tournament tips off tonight when Shaw hosts Frostburg State in a 6 p.m. game. West Liberty and Mansfield open Saturday's session at 2 p.m. followed by a 4 p.m. game between Frostburg State and Saint Augustine's. Mansfield and St. Augustine's play at 2 p.m. Sunday before Shaw and the Hilltoppers close things out in a 4 p.m. tilt.
    All games will be played on campus at Shaw's historic C.C. Spaulding Gym.
    Here's a brief look at each of the five teams.
    WEST LIBERTY returns a strong nucleus from last year's squad that won its second straight MEC title and rolled to its eighth NCAA Division II "Sweet 16" appearance in the last 10 years. Junior All-American Dalton Bolon (20.7 ppg., 106 3FGs) and Freshman All-American Will Yoakum (14.3 ppg., 46.7 3FG%) lead the high-scoring Hilltoppers, who bolstered their roster with several potential impact transfers and freshmen over the off-season. Three transfer guards – junior Preston Boswell and the sophomore trio of Pat Robinson III and Malik McKinney – have already combined for nearly 2,000 career points at the NCAA D2 level.
    MANSFIELD expects to be much improved after Mountaineer alum John Szentesy suffered through last year's 4-24 campaign in his first year at the helm. Szentesy has three double-figure scorers returning, led by senior guard Tyler Moffe (16.8 ppg., 5.1 rpg.) and junior forward Taylor Sweeney (13.5 ppg., 5.9 rpg.). He also brought in nine new faces, including five collegiate transfers.
    SHAW has six players back from last year's 17-13 squad that won its third consecutive CIAA South Division title and was runner-up to nationally-ranked Virginia State in the CIAA championship game. Alex Owens, a rugged 6-9 junior, was a Preseason All-CIAA selection last month while 6-0 senior guard DaVaughn Kelsie is the top returning scorer at 10.9 ppg. The Bears are led by interim head coach Dominique Stephens after veteran head coach Joel Hopkins resigned due to a family illness.
    FROSTBURG STATE will be making its NCAA Division II debut this weekend as the Bobcats continue their transition from NCAA Division III status. Second-year head coach Sean Brown led FSU to a 10-16 record last year, finishing in the middle of the NCAA D3 Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) pack. Brown returns four starters, including All-CAC senior Daniel Alexander, who averaged 17.9 points and 6.1 rebounds a game last year.
    SAINT AUGUSTINE'S is in the midst of a major rebuilding project after graduation exercises took a heavy toll on head coach MarQus Johnson's program. Hirk Williams, a 6-7 senior forward, and Rashad George, a 6-4 guard, are the top returning players.
  Frostburg State (Md.) at Shaw (N.C.), 6 p.m. Mansfield (Pa.) vs. #4 WEST LIBERTY, 2 p.m.
Saint Augustine's (N.C.) vs. Frostburg State (Md.), 4 p.m. Mansfield (Pa.) vs. Saint Augustine's (N.C.), 2 p.m.
#4 WEST LIBERTY at Shaw (N.C.), 4 p.m.