RALEIGH, N.C. – Junior All-American Dalton Bolon poured in a game-high 32 points to pace seven double-figure scorers here Saturday as No. 4 West Liberty routed Mansfield (Pa.), 129-79, in the MEC/PSAC Challenge being hosted by Shaw University.
    Coach Ben Howlett's Hilltoppers blistered the nets at a 77 percent clip in the second half despite no West Liberty starter seeing more than 19 minutes of action on the day in an impressive season debut.
    A 16-3 WLU run midway through the opening half turned a 13-13 deadlock into a 29-16 Hilltopper lead and the margin never slipped below double digits again.
    The Black and Gold opened up a 62-33 halftime lead and didn't miss a beat when play resumed, leading by as many as 54 points as Howlett substituted freely throughout.
    The 6-4 Bolon seemed in midseason form, hitting 10-of-12 shots from the floor and going 10-for-13 from the foul line while grabbing 9 rebounds in just 19 minutes of action.
    Sophomore transfer Pat Robinson added 20 points off the bench while returning sophomore standout Will Yoakum checked in with 19 points, 6 rebounds and a pair of blocks. True freshman Owen Hazelbaker had 13 points and 6 rebounds while fellow freshman Bryce Butler, junior transfer Preston Boswell and returning junior Marlon Moore Jr. all finished with 11 points.
    Redshirt freshman Jon Alessandro had a productive collegiate debut with 7 points, a game-high 11 rebounds, 3 assists and a pair of steals.
    The outgunned Mountaineers got 22 points and 9 rebounds from Trevor English along with 19 points from Christian Simmons.
    West Liberty returns to the C.C. Spaulding Gymnasium on Sunday to take on host Shaw (N.C.). Tipoff is set for 4 p.m.