WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – The West Liberty University men's basketball team is the top seed in this week's Mountain East Conference Tournament and will be defending its tournament crown from last season starting Friday night at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling.

THE BASICS
March 3-5, 2023 | WesBanco Arena (Wheeling, W.Va.)
No. 1 Seed – #5 West Liberty (25-3, 20-2 MEC)
Quarterfinals (Friday, March 3 – 6:00 pm) vs. No. 8 Concord (15-14, 10-12)
Semifinals (Saturday, March 4 – 6:00 pm) vs. Winner of No. 4 West Virginia State and No. 5 Notre Dame College
Championship (Sunday, March 5 – 5:00 pm)
Live stats and video of every game can be found in the MEC Tournament Central here.

THE HILLTOPPERS
West Liberty won its sixth straight MEC regular season title this season. The Hilltoppers have won nine regular season titles in the 10-year history of the conference. WLU was the sole regular season champion in 2014, 15, 18, 19, 20, and 22, then won the North Division in 2021 (the lone year with divisions) and shared the title with Wheeling Jesuit in 2016. Fairmont State was the only other sole champion in 2017. The Hilltoppers dynasty dates to 2010, when they were members of the WVIAC winning the league in 2010, 11, 12, 13, and 14 before the creation of the MEC making it 13 of the last 14 years that West Liberty has been regular season conference champions.
 
The Hilltoppers closed out the regular season winning each of the last 10 games, their longest win streak of the season. The final week featured a dominating road win at Notre Dame, 100-57, which included a 27-0 run in the second half for WLU, its longest of the season. Then in the finale, the Black and Gold outscored Wheeling 60-40 in the second half to pick up a 103-91 revenge victory. The Hilltoppers hit four of six long ball attempts from the five- and half-minute mark to under two minutes left to stretch their lead to seven (96-89), then added a 7-0 run to put the game away.
 
The win at Frostburg State was Head Coach Ben Howlett's 150th career win at the helm of the Hilltoppers. Three wins since improves his career record to 153-24 all-time. Howlett is the winningest active head men's basketball coach across all NCAA divisions (minimum five seasons) with an .864 winning percentage.
 
West Liberty's Bryce Butler, a 6'5" guard from Latrobe, Pa, followed up last year's Atlantic Region and MEC Player of the Year honors with another impressive season to become the third back-to-back MEC Player of the Year in conference history alongside WLU's Dalton Bolon in 2019-20 and 2020-21 and Seger Bonifant in 2014-15 and 2015-16. The Hilltoppers have now had the last four MEC Player of the Year honorees and seven in the 10 year history of the league. Christian Montague was named second team for the first time in his career after earning All-GMAC honors while at Walsh earlier in his career, then Malik McKinney earned his first all-conference honor also on second team.
 
The Hilltoppers are in the top three in Division II in nine statistical categories and lead the country in four. They lead the country in three pointers per game (12.7), three-point attempts per game (33.6), assists per game (22.9), and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.94). WLU ranks second in scoring offense (101.1 points per game), scoring margin (+19.1), turnovers forced per game (19.89), and steals per game (11.1). Then, ranks third in turnover margin (+8.1).
 
West Liberty has hit the century mark in five straight games and 16 times this season. The Hilltoppers have recorded 20 of their 25 wins by double digits. WLU is shooting 49.1% from the field and 37.8% from beyond the arc, meanwhile opponents are netting 82.0 points per game by converting at a 48.3% rate from the field and 33.6% clip from deep. WLU hoisted double-digit more shot attempts than opponents in 16 of the 28 regular season games. The Black and Gold has made 20-plus assists in 22 of their 28 games this season.
 
The Hilltoppers have forced 20 or more turnovers 14 times this season and four of the last five, including 22 last Wednesday at NDC and 23 on Saturday versus Wheeling.
 
WLU has drained double-digit threes in 22 outings and hit 20 or more four times, most recently draining 20 versus Concord, in which they set an NCAA DII single-game record having 12 different players record a made three pointer, on February 11. WLU has made double-digit threes in 11 of the last 12 games and five straight. They have held opponents to single digit three pointers in 23 of the 28 games, including 10 of the last 12.
 
Butler leads the MEC in scoring and was 11th in DII at 22.5 points per game, while making the second-most field goals of any DII player (257). He shot 59.2% from the floor in the regular season, the third-best mark in the conference. Butler also leads the team in rebounding, at 7.2 boards per game, the fourth-most in the MEC, ranks fifth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.92), and averages 3.6 assists per game (2^nd on the team and 8^th in MEC). He recorded his seventh double-double of the season in the regular season finale with 23 points and a season-high 13 rebounds. Butler netted double digits in all 28 regular season contests, he scored 20-plus 21 times, and had three 30-point outings. He has been West Liberty's leading scorer in 20 of the 28 games. Butler has had six assists in four different outings over the last eight games, including in the win over Fairmont State, which he also scored 27 points. He has swiped multiple steals in five of the last six with three last time out. Butler is a five-time MEC Player of the Week and was named the D2CIDA National Player of the Week on December 13 after his game-winning shot over WVSU at home. He was also named Academic All-District last week for the second straight season alongside teammates Steve Cannady, Zach Rasile, and Ben Sarson.
 
Five Hilltoppers average double-digit points per game. Christian Montague (12.4), Malik McKinney (12.3), Steve Cannady (11.1), and Ben Sarson (10.9) all join Butler (22.5). McKinney (55.3%) and Butler (59.2%) are making over half their shot attempts.
 
Five Hilltoppers shoot 40% or better from beyond the arc, Montague leads at 44.8%, then Zach Rasile (43.8%), Butler (40.9%), Cannady (40.2%), and Sarson (40.0%) follow.
 
Four 'Toppers are in the top-five in the MEC in assist-to-turnover ratio, Cannady (1^st – 2.93), Montague (2^nd – 2.75), Alek West (3^rd – 2.71), and Butler (5^th – 1.92).
 
Montague scored a career-high 30 points in the win over Fairmont State and pulled in a team-high eight rebounds, the first player other than Bryce Butler to lead the team in points and rebounds in a game this season. Montague pulled in a team-high seven rebounds in last Wednesday's win at NDC, the second straight game leading the team on the boards. He pulled down seven again versus Wheeling averaging 7.3 rebounds over the last three games. Montague is second on the team, averaging 2.14 triples per game, while shooting a team-best 44.8% from three. He leads the team averaging 3.9 assists per game and tied his season-high last game with seven. He has had four-plus assists in 12 of the last 15 outings. Montague also ranks seventh in the MEC with 43 steals (2^nd on the team). He has scored double-digits 18 times with two above 20 points (26 & 30) and is coming off 19 with a tie of his season-high (for the third time) five three pointers in the regular season finale versus Wheeling. Montague went over 1,000 career points between Walsh and West Liberty with a previous career-high of 26 points in the home matchup against Frostburg State on January 11.
 
Cannady, a graduate transfer from Mercyhurst, scored a season-high 22 points with four three pointers in the loss at Wheeling starting a streak of double digits scoring efforts in seven of nine games before scoring five and eight in the last two. Cannady has posted 10-plus 16 times in his first season dawning the Black and Gold. He has dished out multiple assists in 11 of the last 14 games, including six in the win over Fairmont State, averaging 3.0 assists per game and ranks sixth in the MEC in steals with a team-high 45 on the season averaging 1.61 per game.
 
Rasile is sixth in the MEC averaging 2.25 three pointers per game and is shooting 43.8% from deep. The sophomore guard tied his career-high with five triples for the fourth time in the recent home win over Concord. He snapped a two-game stretch with no triples by hitting a pair against Wheeling and has only not made one in three games this season. Rasile also tied his career-high for the second time this season with three steals versus Wheeling and has recorded at least one in 13 of the last 14 games.
 
Ben Sarson, a 6'6" sophomore forward, had a team-high in rebounds in four straight games, from Feb. 8-18, including a career-high (11) at Glenville State on February 8. Sarson scored a team-leading 20 points at Notre Dame last week, his second game hitting 20-plus, he has netted double figures 15 times this season after adding a second straight double-digit outing with 15 in the regular season finale. He is shooting a team-best 82.6% from the line. He has had a block in six of the last seven outings. Sarson has made a three in each of the last 11 games, including a career-high five last Wednesday at NDC. He averages 2.00 three pointers per game (9^th in the MEC).
 
McKinney, a senior guard from Bowie, Md., recently eclipsed 1,000 career points in the Hilltopper uniform becoming the 55^th player in West Liberty history to join the club. He has scored double digits 17 times this season, including six straight, and hit the 20 mark three times with a pair of 24-point outings. Last time out, he posted 17 points, his highest scoring outing of the six-game stretch to end the regular season, on 6-for-9 shooting and a pair of threes. McKinney has attempted 103 free throws this season (second on the team behind Butler's 116) and is shooting 82.6%, he has converted 17 of his last 18 trips to the line since the February 1 game at West Virginia State.
 
West, a junior guard in his first season on the hilltop, scored a season-best 17 points with two threes and a 9-for-9 effort at the free throw line in the win over Fairmont State. He added a second straight double-digit scoring effort at Notre Dame which brought his season total to six games with 10-plus averaging 6.5 points per game. He has had multiple assists in 12 of the last 14 games and averages 3.0 per game. West also is ninth in the MEC with 40 steals this season.
 
Chaz Hinds has six double-digit games and one double-double (15 pts – 11 reb at AB) in his first season on the hilltop and is averaging 6.3 points per game.
 
Michael Sampson also recorded one double-double in his first season in the Black and Gold with a 13-point, 11-rebound outing in the win at home against Frostburg State.
 
10 Hilltoppers average over 10 minutes per game with Butler leading all players, at 28.7 minutes on the court.
 
West Liberty finished the regular season with a perfect 14-0 home record, the first undefeated home season since 2016-17, when WLU went 16-0. The Hilltoppers went 10-2 on the road and 1-1 in neutral site contests, both played in Las Vegas in late December.
 
WLU is 20-0 when shooting over 46% from the field and 16-0 when shooting 34% or better from three. The Hilltoppers are 17-0 when recording double-digit steals and are 20-0 when forcing 17 or more turnovers.

THE BRACKET
The MEC Tournament is a single elimination 10-team field.
 
West Liberty enters the No. 1 seed and will take on No. 8 Concord in the quarterfinals. A win would send the Hilltoppers to the semifinals on Saturday at 6 pm versus the winner of No. 4 West Virginia State and No. 5 Notre Dame.
 
The championship is scheduled for 5 pm on Sunday. The opposite side of the bracket includes No. 2 Fairmont State, No. 3 Charleston, No. 6 Davis & Elkins, and No. 7 Glenville State.
 
View the full bracket here.
 
VERSUS THE POTENTIAL OPPONENTS
Quarterfinals - Concord: WLU swept the season series over the Mountain Lions with a 113-97 win on the road and 127-79 rout at home in which WLU had a record setting 12 different players make a three pointer. The Hilltoppers own the all-time edge 49-32 and have won 20 of the 24 meetings as MEC foes. West Liberty has won 10 of the last 11 matchups. The teams last met in postseason play in the first round of the 2021 MEC Tournament and WLU handled the Mountain Lions 102-68.
 
Semifinals – West Virginia State: WLU defeated WVSU in both meetings, a thrilling 91-89 win in December off a game-winning shot by Bryce Butler in the final seconds, then built an early lead and held on for a 102-97 win in Institute. All-time the Hilltoppers hold a 58-51 advantage heading into what would be the 110th meeting. WLU has won 23 of the last 26 meetings, however each of the three WVSU wins have come in the last three years including an overtime defeat of the Hilltoppers in the NCAA Regional last season. In MEC Tournament action, WLU is 2-0 versus the Yellow Jackets with a win in the quarterfinals in 2018 and semifinals in 2020.
 
Semifinals – Notre Dame: WLU rolled to a season sweep of Notre Dame. In the first home conference matchup of the season, the Hilltoppers broke a halftime tie with a 55-31 second half to pick up the 107-83 victory. Then, just last week the Hilltoppers dominated the second half again and earned a 100-57 win in South Euclid behind a 27-0 run that extended to a 44-8 scoring spurt for WLU in the second half. The Hilltoppers hold a 19-3 advantage all-time in a series that started in 2013. WLU averages 99.95 points per game versus NDC and is 8-2 in the last 10 meetings. The teams have met twice in MEC Tournament history, the Falcons won the championship matchup in 2019, 100-96, in a #3 over #1 upset, and West Liberty won its first ever MEC Tournament game in the quarterfinals of the inaugural 2014 event, 107-86, over NDC.
 
A full preview will be released if the Hilltoppers make a championship appearance. WLU split the season series with Fairmont State, while sweeping Charleston, Davis & Elkins, and Glenville State.

MEC TOURNAMENT HISTORY
West Liberty is the defending MEC Tournament champions and has three tournament crowns to its record. WLU has been the one seed in now nine tournaments and has an 18-6 over all record in MEC Tournament action, the most wins of any team in the conference.
 
Under Coach Howlett, the Hilltoppers are 11-3 over five seasons with two titles.
 
West Liberty has had three tournament MVPs (Pat Robinson – 2022, Will Yoakum – 2020, and Devin Hoehn – 2017) and has been represented on all nine all-tournament teams. In 2014 Seger Bonifant won the tournament sportsmanship award and in 2016 he led the tournament in scoring with a 32.5 average. Yahel Hill was the second Hilltopper to lead the tournament in scoring with 23.6 points per game in 2019. WLU has won two heart and hustle awards (2014 – CJ Hester and 2021 – Pat Robinson).
 
Year by Year Results:
2014 - #1 seed: Loss in championship.
2015 - #1 seed: Loss in semifinals.
2016 - #1 seed: Loss in semifinals in 2OT.
2017 - #2 seed: Won championship.
2018 - #1 seed: Loss in semifinals.
2019 - #1 seed: Loss in championship.
2020 - #1 seed: Won championship.
2021 - #1 seed in North: Loss in championship.
2022 - #1 seed: Won championship.

TOURNAMENT CENTRAL
Follow all the action of both men's and women's tournaments online by visiting the MEC Tournament Central page here.

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