WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. - The West Liberty University women's basketball team will look to continue its strong start to conference play tonight at home against West Virginia Wesleyan.

THE BASICS
November 30, 2022 | 5:30 pm | Academic, Sports, and Recreation Complex (West Liberty, W.Va.)
West Virginia Wesleyan (0-2, 0-2 MEC) vs. West Liberty (3-2, 2-0 MEC)
Live stats and video links can be viewed here.

THE HILLTOPPERS
West Liberty is off to its first 2-0 start in MEC play in the Coach Cooper era and will look to stay perfect tonight in front of the home crowd. The Hilltoppers took down Notre Dame College and Alderson Broaddus in their first two conference wins, by 10 and nine points respectively.
 
Last time out, West Liberty took control of the contest late in the first half, in which they shot 76%, with a 14-6 run to go up double-digits at the break and never looked back. The 'Toppers maintained the double figure lead for nearly the entire second half and pushed it to as high as 18 at the 3:50 mark in the third quarter.
 
Arriana Manzay posted her second straight double-double in last week's win over NDC behind a 17-point, 13-rebound performance. Her season average is now at 19.6 points and 9.4 rebounds per game through the early going featuring a 74.5% field goal percentage, which leads the conference. Karly McCutcheon has created a dynamic duo with Manzay for the Black and Gold, netting an MEC-leading 17 three pointers (48.6%) and averaging a team-best 21.6 points a game, the second-most in the league.
 
The Hilltoppers have surrendered just eight three pointers over the five games so far for an 18.6 opponent three-point shooting percentage, the third-best defense beyond the arc in DII. On the offensive side, West Liberty is draining eight triples per game and shooting 33.6% led by McCutcheon. The Black and Gold are scoring 80.6 points per game and allowing 79.4. The high scoring has come off great ball movement, as they average 17.2 assists per game. The kryptonite for West Liberty thus far has been ball security, with a -8.2-turnover margin. On the glass, the Hilltoppers hold a +2 advantage on average.

THE BOBCATS
West Virginia Wesleyan has played just twice so far this season and dropped both contests. In the season and conference opener, Frostburg State edged out the Bobcats, 54-49, then Fairmont State spoiled their home opener last Tuesday, 87-68.
 
WVWC has commanded the boards as a bright spot in the rough start with a +16 margin and a 35-13 edge on the offensive end. Three players average over seven boards a game, led by Daveona Hatchell at 9.0 per game. Half of Hatchell's 18 rebounds this season have come on the offensive end.
 
Emma Witt leads a trio of Bobcats in double figures averaging 17.5 points per game, all 13 field goals have come inside the arc along with nine free throws on 17 attempts. Hatchell and Akalah Jackson score 10.5 and 10.0 a game, respectively. As a team, West Virginia Wesleyan is connecting on 35.1% of their shot attempts, but just 14.3% from three and 54.8% at the line. A -8.0-turnover margin for Wesleyan has stymied the offensive attack at times in the early going. Opponents on the other hand are at 42.2% shooting against the Bobcats.

THE SERIES
The Hilltoppers have a 41-16 advantage in an all-time series that dates back to year one of the program in 1981-82. In recent history, West Liberty has won seven matchups in a row since November of 2018, including a pair of lobsided wins a season ago (75-44 and 70-44). Inside the ASRC, the Black and Gold has defended their home court each of the last 12 times Wesleyan visited.

NEXT UP
West Liberty will hit the road to Davis & Elkins on Saturday to take on the Senators. Tip off is scheduled for 2 pm.

Follow Hilltopper basketball all season online at HilltopperSports.com and on Twitter (@WLU_Hoops | @WLathletics), Instagram (@wlu_wbb | @wlu_athletics), and Facebook.