WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – Coach Ben Howlett and his No. 14-ranked West Liberty men's basketball team tip off the Atlantic Region Crossover event tonight with a 5:30 p.m. game against Winston-Salem State (N.C.). Wheeling takes on East Stroudsburg (Pa.) in the 7:30 p.m. nightcap.
    Howlett's Hilltoppers return several key pieces from an abbreviated spring season that saw WLU post an 18-5 record, once again leading the nation in scoring while rolling to another Atlantic Region championship and NCAA Division II Elite Eight berth.
    Howlett, beginning his fifth season as head coach at his alma mater, is shooting to become one of the fastest NCAA Division II coaches ever to reach the 100-win career milestone. He enters tonight's game with a 99-18 (.846) coaching record.
    Coach Cleo Hill Jr. led the Rams to a CIAA Tournament championship and automatic NCAA Tournament berth in March 2020 only to see the NCAA cancel all winter sports championships on the eve of the NCAA Tournament.
    Winston-Salem hasn't played an official NCAA Division II game since as the CIAA cancelled its 2020-21 season due to ongoing concerns with the COVID-19 pandemic. The Rams knocked off the rust with a pair of NCAA Division I preseason exhibition games. Winston-Salem lost both, falling to Duke, 106-38, on Oct. 30 and dropping an 88-56 decision at Wake Forest a week ago tonight.
    Here's a collection of links for tonight's season opener, including a full West Liberty game notes package along with links to the Hilltoppers' live stats and TopperStation video stream as well as real-time scoreboards from the Mountain East Conference and NCAA Division II men's basketball.
  West Liberty Live Video Stream
 
West Liberty Live Stats
 
West Liberty Game Notes
 
MEC All-Sports Scoreboard
 
NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Scoreboard