WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – The fifth ranked West Liberty University men's basketball team will look to keep its undefeated record intact when it travels to Davis & Elkins tomorrow to take on the Senators.

THE BASICS
December 3, 2022 | 4:00 pm | McDonnell Center (Elkins, W.Va.)
#5 West Liberty (6-0, 3-0 MEC) vs. Davis & Elkins (6-1, 2-1 MEC)
Live stats and video links can be viewed here.

THE HILLTOPPERS
Ranked 5^th by the NABC and 6^th in the D2SIDA Media Poll, West Liberty rolled past West Virginia Wesleyan on Wednesday night inside the ASRC. The Hilltoppers put up a season-high 121 points rolling to a 67-point triumph. Christian Montague and Zach Rasile ended the night with 19 points and five three pointers each to lead the Black and Gold. Four other Hilltoppers netted double figures in the season-high scoring night. Steve Cannady scored 18 points and added six assists along with four steals. Ben Sarson swatted two blocks, swiped two steals, and charted 13 points. Meanwhile, Bryce Butler and Alek West had 10 points apiece.
 
West Liberty improved its DII leading assist total to 25.0 per game after posting one on 33 of its 47 made field goals, which included 20 three pointers, Wednesday. The 'Toppers shot 54.7% overall and 42.6% from beyond the arc, while holding Wesleyan to just two three pointers and a 34.3 field goal percentage on 16 less shots. Lockdown defense by the Hilltoppers forced 29 Bobcat turnovers which got converted into 41 West Liberty points. On the offensive end, the 'Toppers treasured the rock only giving it up six times for two Bobcat points.
 
In addition to assists per game, the Black and Gold is atop the national leaderboard in steals per game (13.8), turnover margin (10.3), and three-point shooting (13.3 makes – 37.5 attempts). West Liberty is outscoring opponents at a 27.7 clip averaging the second most points per game in the country (102.7). The Hilltoppers are one of 25 unbeaten teams left in Division II.
 
Butler leads the team at 22.0 points per game and is 15^th in the country in made field goals, at 57. He has charted a pair of double doubles this season and has scored 10+ along with at least one steal and assist in every game. The junior guard from Latrobe, Pa. also leads the team in rebounding at an average of 7.8 per game. Rasile climbed up the three-point leaderboard after the last outing averaging 2.67 per game, leading a quartet of Hilltoppers averaging over two a game. Cannady and Montague each average 2.5, while Ben Sarson is at 2.17 per game. Montague also leads the team in assists and is third in the MEC at 4.3 per game.

THE SENATORS
After an 8-21 season last year, Davis & Elkins has stormed out of the gates and is off to a 6-1 start. Three straight wins began the season with an opening weekend sweep at the Earl Loyd Classic, hosted by West Virginia State, with wins over Shaw (83-71) and Livingston (75-65) followed by a 24-point blowout of Ohio Dominican on the road.
 
The only loss of the season came against nationally ranked Fairmont State in the home opener on November 19 by 12 points (93-81). The Senators bounced back and are winners of three straight for the second time this season heading into tonight. D&E was around the century mark twice during this streak, 97-84 over Frostburg State and 100-95 over Seton Hill. In the last outing, D&E held on for a two-point road victory at Wheeling.
 
The Senators are averaging 84 points per game with a +7.7-scoring margin over opponents. Other than that, D&E has been nearly neck-and-neck with its opposition statistically. The Red and Black owns a +1.0-rebounding margin and a +1.1-turnover margin, forcing 17.71.
 
Sam Rolle IV leads the way for D&E and is on the court more than anyone in the MEC at 34:48 minutes per game. He is atop the team leaderboard in scoring (18.7), assists (5.9), and steals (2.86) per game. The ladder two ranking atop the conference as well. Vadim Clanet is averaging 12.7 points a game and has a team-leading 15 three pointers. Claren Pierre averages a team-high eight rebounds a game with four coming on the offensive end to rank top 15 in the country on the o-glass.

THE SERIES
The Hilltoppers own a commanding 82-29 advantage in the all-time series that dates back to the 1935-36 season. West Liberty is on a 20-game win streak over the Senators since 2002-03. Last season the Hilltoppers took care of business with a 100-69 home win in early December, then won the matchup in Elkins 90-63 in late January.

NEXT UP
West Liberty will remain on the road traveling to Charleston as it continues MEC play on Wednesday. Tip off from the state capital is set for 7:30 pm.

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