FROSTBURG, Md. – The No. 16-ranked West Liberty men's basketball team forced 30 turnovers and never trailed here Wednesday night in blasting Frostburg State, 117-74, in Mountain East Conference action at Bobcat Arena.
    It was the 16th 100-point game of the season for Coach Ben Howlett's Hilltoppers (21-4, 16-3), who moved one step closer to a third straight MEC title while padding their national scoring lead at the Bobcats' (10-15, 7-12) expense.
    After rolling to its 14th win in the last 15 games, West Liberty holds a two-game lead over the rest of the MEC pack with just three games remaining in the regular season. The Hilltoppers can clinch at least a share of their third consecutive league championship with a win at Fairmont State on Sunday.
    Frostburg State was able to hang with WLU in the early going on Wednesday. The hosts were still within hailing distance, trailing just 32-29 with 8 1/2 minutes left in the first half, when the Black and Gold shifted into overdrive.
    Forcing multiple turnovers out of their full court pressure, the Hilltoppers reeled off 14 unanswered points over the next 2 1/2 minutes to all but put the game out of reach.
    Junior All-American guard Dalton Bolon – who scored 8 of his game-high 28 points during the spurt – capped the run with a layup off a Luke Dyer steal as the clock ticked past the 6-minute mark and the visitors had opened up a 46-29 lead.
    West Liberty carried a 59-43 lead into the halftime locker room but the Bobcats never threatened again as the Hilltoppers pulled away in the second half.
    The Black and Gold's "Three Musketeers" – Bolon, Will Yoakum and Pat Robinson III – nearly outscored the Bobcats on their own, combining for a total of 72 points.
    Bolon collected a game-high 8 rebounds to go along with his 28 points while Yoakum poured in 25 tallies and Robinson added 19 more off the bench.
    Bolon's 28 points pushed his career total to 1,663 points – tying him with Howlett and former NCAA Division II All-American Cedric Harris for No. 15 on West Liberty's list of all-time leading scorers.
    Marlon Moore Jr. and Bryce Butler backed the trio with 13 and 11 points, respectively, in a game that saw West Liberty whistled for a season-high 31 fouls as the teams combined for a whopping 62 free throws.
    Even so, the issue was never in doubt as the visitors racked up a 54-44 advantage off the glass while doubling Frostburg State (68-34) in points in the paint and 34-12 in points off turnovers.
    The Bobcats were led by Torrin Stephens' 19 points with Terry Kenner and Demetrich Williams contributing 14 and 11 points, respectively.
    Sunday's game at Fairmont State is set for a special 6 p.m. tipoff and will be televised live regionally on AT&T Sportsnet Pittsburgh.