West Liberty, W.Va. – The West Liberty University women's basketball team carries a four game win streak and an unbeaten MEC record into Wednesday night's contest in the state capital as they face Charleston. The Hilltoppers will seek their second consecutive 4-0 start to conference play when they tip-off at 5:30 p.m. against the Golden Eagles in the Wehrle Innovation Center.

GAME DETAILS

• Location: Charleston, W.Va. (Wehrle Innovation Center)
• Tip-Off: 5:30 P.M.

WEST LIBERTY STORYLINES

• West Liberty enters Wednesday's game with a record of 5-2 (3-0 MEC) on the year following a 96-67 victory on the road at Davis & Elkins on Saturday afternoon, marking their most points scored and largest margin of victory this season. The Hilltoppers are one of three remaining undefeated teams in MEC play, joining Fairmont State (4-0) and Wheeling (3-0).
• Through seven games, the Hilltoppers are averaging 77.9 points, 37.7 rebounds, 17.6 assists, 8.9 steals, and 2.1 blocks per game, while shooting the ball 37.7 percent from the field, 34.3 percent from 3-point range, and 68.2 percent from the free throw line.
• WLU ranks within the top-25 of NCAA Division II in six statistical categories, leading the country in 3-pointers per game (11.9) while ranking second in 3-point attempts per game (34.6), 14^th in free throw attempts per game (24.29), 16^th in assists per game (17.6), 20^th in scoring offense (77.9), 22^nd in free throws made per game (16.57)
• The Hilltoppers are led by four players who are averaging double figures as Corinne Thomas has averaged 17.7 points while Karly McCutcheon, Bailee Smith, and Reagan Vinskovich add 15.3, 11.7, and 11.0 points per game respectively.
• With her first basket of the game on Saturday, Thomas became the 38^th player in program history to join the 1,000 point club, joining McCutcheon who accomplished the feat late last season.
• Thomas has three games of 20 or more points this season while McCutcheon has two. Each of them have one double-double in 2023-24.
• Thomas has the most 3-pointers made per game in DII this season, knocking down an average of 4.00 per game. She also ranks third in the country with a total of 28 made baskets from deep. McCutcheon is another scoring threat from 3-point range as she ranks 25^th nationally with 2.86 3-pointers per game in 2023-24. Thomas is shooting 35.9 percent and McCutcheon is 30.3 percent from beyond the arc. Thomas has made at least three 3-pointers in all seven games while McCutcheon has three or more in four contests.
• Thomas, McCutcheon, Jenna Riccardo, and Paige Julian are the top rebounders on the team. Thomas and McCutcheon lead the way with 5.6 and 5.1 boards per game while both Riccardo and Julian have grabbed 4.9 rebounds per game.
• Thomas, Bailey Beckstedt, and Smith have been the facilitators of the Hilltopper offense. Thomas and Beckstedt average a team-high 3.4 assists per game, while Smith adds 3.3 assists per game.
• Beckstedt has posted a 2.18 assist/turnover ratio this season, dishing out 24 assists compared to 11 turnovers.
• Thomas leads the Black & Gold on the defensive side of the ball, forcing 2.4 steals per game, while McCutcheon and Anna Lucarelli add 1.3 and 1.2 steals per game respectively.
• McCutcheon and Julian have made it difficult for opponents to get shots off by leading the team with 0.7 blocks per game apiece.
• Kyle Cooper is in his seventh season as the head coach at West Liberty with a career record of 97-75 with the Hilltoppers.

CHARLESTON STORYLINES

• Charleston enters Wednesday's game with a record of 2-6 (0-4 MEC) on the year following an 86-67 loss at home to Fairmont State on Saturday afternoon. The Golden Eagles are winless in the first four games of the conference schedule for the first time in the MEC era.
• Through eight games the Golden Eagles are averaging 60.5 points, 35.0 rebounds, 10.4 assists, 8.8 steals, and 1.6 blocks per game while shooting the ball 39.6 percent from the field, 26.3 percent from 3-point range, and 64.4 percent from the free throw line.
• UC is led by a pair of players who average double figures in scoring with Nia Vanzant leading the team with 11.6 points per game while Clarrissa Francis has added 10.3 points.
• Ksenija Mitric has knocked down a team-high 11 3-pointers this season, going 11-of-46 from beyond the arc for 23.9 percent. Vanzant has the best shooting percentage from deep as she is 8-of-21 for 38.1 percent.
• Francis is one of three players to average five or more rebounds per game with 5.8 boards through eight games, while Taylor Austin and Haley Moore each average 5.0 rebounds per game. Moore has the lone double-double of the season for UC with a 14 point, 11 rebound performance against Frostburg State.
• Austin is the floor general for the Golden Eagle offense, averaging 3.5 assists per game and dishing three or more assists in six games.
• Vanzant and Mitric lead the UC defense, collecting 1.6 steals per game, while Austin and Kiara Cruz are close behind with an average of 1.4 steals per game.
• Tianni Kelly is in her fourth season as the head coach at Charleston, posting a career record of 68-27 during her time with the Golden Eagles.

SERIES HISTORY

• Charleston holds the narrow 32-29 advantage in the all-time series while West Liberty has won three of the last five meetings.
• The Hilltoppers won the most recent match-up over the Golden Eagles, an 87-77 overtime win in the ASRC on February 4, 2023.
• Corinne Thomas scored 23 points off 6-of-8 shooting from deep the last time WLU played UC. Karly McCutcheon added 13 points and six rebounds while Grace Faulk contributed 11 points and three 3-pointers.