WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. - The West Liberty University women's basketball team is on the road at Davis & Elkins today for a Mountain East Conference matchup.

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

THE HILLTOPPERS
West Liberty will look to continue its best start in MEC play in the Coach Cooper Era today on the road. The Hilltoppers rolled past West Virginia Wesleyan on Wednesday night in front of their home crowd to improve to 3-0 in conference. West Liberty scored the first eight points of the game and never looked back. They took a 52-22 lead into the break and out of the locker room there was no let up, as the Hilltoppers netted the first nine points of the second half cruising to the 88-47 victory.
 
Arriana Manzay posted her third straight double-double with 28 points and a season-high 15 rebounds. The senior forward leads the team averaging 21 points and 10.3 rebounds per game this season. 20 of her 62 rebounds have come on the offensive end. Manzay leads the conference and is fourth in DII in field goal percentage (72.1%).
 
Karly McCutcheon nets 19.7 points per game and is second in the MEC with a 43.2% three-point percentage, averaging 3.2 makes a game beyond the arc. Grace Faulk (15 pts) and Natalija Sekulovska (13 pts) each scored double-digits in the dominating win over West Virginia Wesleyan on Wednesday bringing their season averages up to 9.3 and 8.8 points per game, respectively.
 
As a team, West Liberty leads the conference with a 47.6 shooting percentage, an average of 18 assists per game, and an 18.9% opponents three-point percentage, which also ranks third in the nation. The Hilltoppers have allowed just 10 three pointers over six games.

THE SENATORS
Davis and Elkins has lost its last two games and comes into the contest with one win on the season, an 88-75 triumph over Frostburg State in its home gym. Wheeling downed the Senators 75-68 on Wednesday.

All but one of D&E's games have been decided by double-digits, with the lone not being a 79-75 loss against Slippery Rock in game two of the season. The Senators are averaging 69.7 points per game and allowing 76.6 for a -6.9-scoring margin. The defense has been solid, ranking atop the MEC in opponents field goal percentage (35.5%) and defensive rebounds per game (29.3). However, when the opposition is scoring its coming from beyond the arc, as D&E ranks near the bottom of the conference in three-point defense allowing a 32.1 shooting percentage.

Guards Taylor Smith and Ellie Wilkerson average 13.9 and 10.7 points, respectively, to lead the Senators. Wilkerson, a freshman, is converting 54.5% of her shot attempts and also pulls down 7.4 rebounds per game to lead the Red and Black, while Smith has netted a team-high 15 three pointers.

THE SERIES
The Hilltoppers own a 35-13 all-time advantage dating back to 1981-82. West Liberty has won three straight over the Senators, including a season sweep last year (87-54 in Elkins and 90-50 at home). The last three seasons have featured road victories for the Hilltoppers in Elkins.

NEXT UP
West Liberty will be back on the road on Wednesday to take on Charleston in the state capital. Tip off is set for 5:30 pm.

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