WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – It will be another tough test for the West Liberty University women's basketball team tomorrow, as they return to the home confines and get set for a matchup against regionally-ranked West Virginia State.

THE BASICS
December 10, 2022 | 5:30 pm | Academic, Sports, and Recreation Complex (West Libery, W.Va.)
West Virginia State (6-2, 3-2 MEC) vs. West Liberty (5-3, 4-1 MEC)
Live stats and video links can be viewed here.

THE HILLTOPPERS
West Liberty dropped its first conference game of the year on Wednesday on the road at Charleston, 78-58. The Hilltoppers were out in front early by as many as 19 but made just four shots in the second half resulting in a defeat. WLU is back on the home court, where they have won both times previously with a 78-68 win over Notre Dame College and 88-47 blowout of West Virginia Wesleyan.
 
The Hilltoppers are scoring 78.8 points per game and allowing 73.8, while posting a 45.6% mark from the floor as a team and holding opponents to 41.7% shooting. West Liberty has held a firm advantage over teams from beyond the arc, draining 33.3% of their attempts for an average of 8.5 triples per game, both of which rank second in the league, then defensively holding opposition to 24.1% long range shooting, the best rate in the MEC. WLU is top-20 in the country in assists per game, averaging 17.5.
 
Arriana Manzay commands the paint for the Black and Gold with three double-doubles on the season. She is second in the conference averaging 9.8 rebounds and third in scoring at 21.5 points a game. The 6'3" senior forward has had double-digits in every outing including a pair of 30-plus point games this season. Over a third of her rebounds come on the offensive end. As a team, West Liberty ranks second in the MEC with a +4.6-rebounding margin. Manzay also has 12 blocks this year, the second most in the MEC.
 
Karly McCutcheon is right behind Manzay ranking fourth in the conference at 21.1 points a game. The sophomore guard has netted double figures in all eight games and has a pair of 30+ point games, as well. A career day last Saturday featured 32 points, 12 rebounds, and eight three pointers in the win over D&E. McCutcheon is atop the conference and fourth in the country with 30 triples this season. She is also second on the team in rebounds (5.2) and assists (3.6) per game.
 
Manzay (66%), McCutcheon (55.3%), and Gracie Lyon (53.3%) are all converting over half of their shot attempts from the floor this season.
 
Sophomore guard Anna Lucarelli has posted career-highs in back-to-back games with seven assists at D&E and seven rebounds at Charleston. She leads the team with 30 assists this year.
 
West Liberty has committed the most turnovers in the conference and averages a -6.12-turnover margin.

THE YELLOW JACKETS
West Virginia State enters the contest fifth in the D2SIDA Atlantic Region Poll. The Yellow Jackets cracked the regional rankings for the first time this Tuesday after a 6-1 start to the season, with the lone loss being by five on the road at defending national champions Glenville State. Wheeling visited Institute on Wednesday and handled WVSU, 91-77, moving the Yellow Jackets to 3-2 in conference play. MEC wins have come over Concord (95-70), Frostburg State (88-79 in overtime), and Fairmont State (90-85). This will be the third road game of the season for the Yellow Jackets, who are 1-1 away from home up to this point.
 
Score and attack the glass is the name of the game for West Virginia State. They rank third in the country in scoring, at 87.9 points per game, and are atop the nation in total rebounds per game, at 50.38, and offensive rebounds per game, at 23.4.
 
A trio of Yellow Jackets average over three offensive boards per game, led by Emyah Fortenberry, a 5'11" sophomore, who pulls in 4.8 on the offensive end and 9.0 overall per game.
 
A veteran scoring attack that features three players in double-digits is led by 5'10" senior forward Destiny Fields, at 13.7 per game. Fields' 31 points in the OT win against Frostburg State are the most by a Yellow Jacket in a game this season. Fellow senior forward Anysa Jordan nets 11.3 and senior guard Shelby Harmeyer 10.7 points per game. Senior Ashley Davis and Harmeyer handle the outside shooting with 14 and 12 triples, respectively, to lead the team.
 
Hannah Shriver, another senior guard, leads the MEC in assists with 41 for an average of 5.1 per game. As a team, WVSU averages 16.8 assists per game, the third most in the conference.
 
West Virginia State will look to capitalize on the 'Toppers turnover woes, as they average 14.4 steals per game, the fifth most in the country, and force 25.75 turnovers per game, the sixth most in DII. The Yellow Jackets own a +2.38-turnover margin.
 
The State roster includes seven seniors with all being contributors.

THE SERIES
The Hilltoppers will look to snap a four-game losing streak against the Yellow Jackets. The last home win came on January 10, 2019, when WLU rolled to a 100-74 victory. West Liberty is 6-3 against WVSU at home since the creation of the MEC. Last season, the Yellow Jackets won by six on their home court and downed the 'Toppers by five in the ASRC. This will be the 59^th meeting between the teams with West Liberty holding a 41-17 all-time edge. The series dates to year one of the program in 1981-82, when WLU won meeting number one 82-77.

NEXT UP
West Liberty will stay at home for two non-conference games over the month of December. The Hilltoppers host Tiffin on Sunday, December 18 and Ashland on New Year's Eve. Both tip offs are 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.