WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – The West Liberty University women's basketball team returns to the court tomorrow afternoon for a New Year's Eve matinee matchup against #2 Ashland at home.

THE BASICS
December 31, 2022 | 2:00 pm | Academic, Sports, and Recreation Complex (West Libery, W.Va.)
#2 Ashland (13-0, 6-0 GMAC) vs. West Liberty (6-4, 4-2 MEC)
Live stats and video links can be viewed here.

THE HILLTOPPERS
West Liberty bounced back from its first losing streak of the season with a 79-66 non-conference win over Tiffin on December 18. The Hilltoppers outscored the Dragons 33-9 in the third quarter and shot 13-of-15 from the floor and 7-for-7 from long range in the third period. Arriana Manzay had a double-double with 21 points and 12 rebounds, and Grace Faulk had a season-high 18 points with four triples. West Liberty assisted on 21 of its 27 made field goals and shot 50% from beyond the arc (11-for-22), the best mark of the season so far. Tomorrow will be WLU's first game in 13 days.
 
The Hilltoppers average a +4.9 scoring margin, netting 78.5 points per game, the 14^th most in DII, and allowing 73.6. They are converting at the best rate in the MEC and 14^th best in the country from the field, with a team field goal percentage of 46.6. Beyond the arc, the Black and Gold ranks second in the MEC both offensively (34.7%) and defensively (27.1%). West Liberty is 20^th in DII with an average of 8.7 long balls per game.
 
West Liberty shares the ball at an elite rate, ranking 10^th in DII and atop the MEC with an average of 18 assists per game.
 
Manzay commands the paint for the Black and Gold with five double-doubles on the season, including two straight entering the contest. The Texas native is converting her shots at the highest rate of anyone in DII, with a 68.3 field goal percentage. Manzay leads the MEC and is 11^th in DII averaging 21.3 points per game, then is second and 15^th on the glass at 10.7 rebounds per game. The 6'3" senior forward has had double-digits in every outing including a pair of 30-plus point games this season. She netted her sixth 20+ game, and second straight, with 21 points in the win over Tiffin. Manzay also has 14 blocks this year, the second most in the MEC.
 
Karly McCutcheon has formed a dynamic inside-out scoring duo for the Hilltoppers alongside Manzay. McCutcheon ranks fourth in the conference at 19.6 points a game and scored double-digits in the first eight games before netting six last time out. The 5'9" sophomore guard has a pair of 30+ point games, with a career-high 32 in the win at Davis & Elkins in which she also pulled in 12 rebounds for her first career double-double. McCutcheon is atop the conference and second in DII with an average of 3.5 triples per game. She is also second on the team in rebounds (5.1) and assists (3.2) per game. McCutcheon is shooting 53.1% from the field and 46.1% from deep this season.
 
Sophomore guard Anna Lucarelli dished out seven assists versus Tiffin, tying her career-high she set at Davis & Elkins earlier this season. She also pulled in a career-best seven rebounds at Charleston earlier this season. Lucarelli leads the team with 40 assists (4.0 per game) and 13 steals (1.3 per game).
 
Transfer from DI Duquesne, Natalija Sekulovska is on a two-game double-digit scoring streak after a career-high 17 last time out in 26 minutes, also a career-high.
 
On the glass the Hilltoppers have a +3.4 rebounding margin, the third best in their conference, and pull down 9.9 offensive boards a game.
 
West Liberty has committed the most turnovers in the conference and averages a -6.70-turnover margin.


THE EAGLES
Ashland has rolled to a 13-0 start to the season and is ranked 2^nd in the country. The Eagles have won 11 of their games by double digits. The lone games that were not came in a Thanksgiving Classic, that featured a 96-88 win over Truman State and a 68-67 overtime win against the host #7 Drury. They returned from the holiday break on Thursday with a 77-49 win over Michigan Tech at home.
 
Ashland leads the GMAC in 14 statistical categories and is top-10 in DII in seven. Highlighted by a national lead in free throw percentage, at 83.7%, they also rank second in assists per game (20.4), three pointers per game (10.6), and field goal percentage (50.4%).
 
The Eagles own a +8.1-rebounding margin and pull in 11.5 offensive boards a game, led by Hayley Smith at 7.9 rebounds per game. The 6'1" sophomore forward is also second on the team with a 64.1 field goal percentage and nets 12.1 points per game.
 
Four players shoot over 50% for the Eagles, headlined by Annie Roshak at 67% ranking third in DII. Roshak, a 6'1" senior forward, leads four Ashland players averaging double figures, at 13.9 points per game. 6'0" sophomore Zoe Miller scores 13.5 points, and graduate student guard Hallie Heidemann averages 10.5 points a game.

The lone like opponent with the Hilltoppers schedule is Tiffin, who Ashland handled 104-46 at home.

THE SERIES
The Eagles own a 2-3 advantage in the all-time series. This will be the first meeting since 2008-09, when Ashland edged out the 'Toppers by 10 points (78-68). The last West Liberty win was the year prior, 86-76. The first meeting was in 1994-95, a thrilling 112-106 win early in the season for the Black and Gold. Coach Cooper has not faced Ashland in his head coaching tenure.

NEXT UP
West Liberty returns to conference play with a road trip to Concord on Wednesday. Tip off from Athens, W.Va. 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.