KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The West Liberty University men's basketball team notched a significant milestone on Tuesday when Coach Ben Howlett's Hilltoppers checked in at No. 4 in the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) weekly NCAA Division II Top 25.
    It was the 100^th Top Five ranking in school history for the Black and Gold, a plateau second only to Kentucky Wesleyan among all NCAA Division II men's programs.
    West Liberty (4-0) remained unbeaten with a pair of impressive wins last week. The Hilltoppers got things started with a convincing 96-84 road win against previously undefeated and No. 21-ranked Fairmont State before capping the week with a 134-72 romp past Frostburg State. The 134 points are an NCAA Division II season high and WLU's 112.8 ppg. scoring average ranks No. 1 nationally.
    Despite the loss, Fairmont State (3-1) held onto a Top 25 spot at No. 24 this week. Mountain East Conference South Division leader Glenville State (4-0) – the nation's second-highest scoring team at 96.2 ppg. – also began receiving Top 25 votes this week.
    The Hilltoppers take their No. 4 ranking on the road Wednesday with a 7:30 p.m. game at Concord before returning home for what promises to be an entertaining showdown with Glenville State on Saturday.
       Team (FPV)                                                 Rec          Pts       Pvs
  1. Colorado School of Mines (14)             8-0         394           1
  2. Northern State (S.D.)                              6-0         376           2
  3. NW Missouri State (2)                            8-1         369           3
  4. WEST LIBERTY                                          4-0         353           4
  5. Lincoln Memorial (Tenn.)                       8-1         334           6
  6. West Texas A&M                                     5-1         318           7
  7. Washburn (Kan.)                                    10-1         309           8
  8. Colorado Mesa                                         9-0         295           9
  9. Findlay (Ohio)                                           7-1         268         11
10. Truman State (Mo.)                              10-1         255         12
11. St. Edward's (Texas)                                7-1         231         13
12. Mercyhurst (Pa.)                                      3-0         209         14
13. Queens (N.C.)                                           8-2         194         15
14. Alabama-Huntsville                                 6-1         187         18
15. Dallas Baptist (Texas)                              7-1         163         20
16. Lubbock Christian (Texas)                      6-0         142         22
17. St. Thomas Aquinas (N.Y.)                     0-0         122         17
18. Hillsdale (Mich.)                                       7-1         109         23
19. Valdosta State (Ga.)                                6-2         105           5
20. Sioux Falls (S.D.)                                       4-0           88         25
21. Point Loma (Calif.)                                   1-0           83         24
22. Azusa Pacific (Calif.)                                0-0           81         19
23. Missouri Western                                    8-2           56         16
24. FAIRMONT STATE                                   3-1           48         21
25. Texas A&M-Kingsville                             9-1           40        NR
       Others receiving votes: Lee (Tenn.) 28, Daemen (N.Y.) 11, Augusta (Ga.) 10, Augustana (S.D.) 5, Belmont Abbey (N.C.) 5, Missouri-St. Louis 5, Southwest Baptist (Mo.) 3, GLENVILLE STATE 1, MSU-Texas 1, Walsh (Ohio) 1, West Alabama 1.