West Liberty, W.Va. – The West Liberty University women's basketball team put together a season-best performance in their 97-73 victory over Salem on Wednesday night in the ASRC. The Hilltoppers, who assisted on a season-high 27 baskets, recorded their best shooting percentages of the year and highest point total of 2023-24.
 
QUICK DETAILS
Final Score: West Liberty 97, Salem 73
Team Records: West Liberty 7-10 (4-5 MEC), Salem 3-14
Attendance: 302
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• After a pair of 3-pointers helped Salem jump out to an 8-2 lead in the first couple of minutes, West Liberty started to gain momentum out of the under five media timeout. The Hilltoppers trailed 17-11 with 4:59 remaining in the quarter before Grace Faulk set the tone with a 3-pointer to start a 13-2 scoring run to end the period with a 24-19 lead. Corinne Thomas gave WLU the lead for good with a pair of free throws with 1:38 left in the opening quarter.
• With a trio of 3-pointers by Bailee Smith in the first four minutes of the second quarter, the Hilltoppers extended their scoring run to 22-4 as the lead grew to double digits (33-21) with 5:56 to play. The Tigers cut the lead to nine points for a second time in the quarter, however the Hilltoppers grabbed the momentum again just as they did to end the first. A pair of layups by Smith sparked a 13-2 scoring run that was capped by a layup by Paige Julian to make it a 48-28 lead with 1:54 left in the half. After a pair of 2-of-2 trips to the free throw line for Salem, Jenna Riccardo ended the half by converting an and-one to make it 51-32 at the half.
• After trading baskets to start the third quarter, West Liberty used a 14-6 run that was capped by a pair of layups by Karly McCutcheon to push the Hilltoppers lead to 26 points (68-42) with 5:58 remaining in the period. Julian ended the scoring in the period with a pair of layups, giving WLU a 74-49 lead entering the final ten minutes of play.
• Riccardo followed a pair of 3-pointers by Thomas and McCutcheon with a layup to help West Liberty extend their lead to 28 points (86-58) with 6:29 remaining in the game. The Hilltoppers then notched their largest lead of the game with 1:53 left on the clock as Natalija Sekulovska followed a 3-pointer by Faulk with a layup to make it 95-66. Salem closed the game on a 7-2 scoring run.
• West Liberty shot 35-of-66 (53.0%) from the field, 13-of-27 (48.1%) from 3-point range, and 14-of-15 (93.3%) from the free throw line compared to 29-of-66 (43.9%) from the field, 5-of-17 (29.4%) from 3-point range, and 10-of-13 (76.9%) from the free throw line for Salem.
• WLU recorded season-highs in field goal percentage, 3-point field goal percentage, free throw percentage, assists (27) and a season-low in turnovers (10).
• The Hilltoppers held the advantage in points off turnovers (15-3), points in the paint (42-40), second chance points (10-7), fast break points (26-3), and bench points (27-0).
• After they both averaged more than 20 points per game last week, Thomas and Smith notched their second consecutive games of 20 or more points with 21 and 20 points respectively. The duo led five players in double figures scoring as McCutcheon, Riccardo, and Julian added 15, 14, and ten points respectively.
• Four WLU players connected on a 3-pointer in the game as Thomas knocked down a game-high five shots from beyond the arc while Smith connected on four. Faulk was a perfect 3-of-3 from distance and McCutcheon added one.

WEST LIBERTY STATISTICAL LEADERS
Corinne Thomas: 21 points, 5-of-9 3-pointers, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 assist
Bailee Smith: 20 points, 4-of-7 3-pointers, 5 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 block
Jenna Riccardo: 14 points, 6-of-6 field goals, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal
Bailey Beckstedt: 8 assists, 5 rebounds
 
POST GAME PRESS CONFERENCE (BAILEY BECKSTEDT, HEAD COACH KYLE COOPER, AND JENNA RICCARDO)


UP NEXT
West Liberty will close their 3-game homestand with a return to MEC action on Sunday, January 28, when they welcome Ohio County foe Wheeling to the hilltop. The Hilltoppers and Cardinals are set for a 2 p.m. tip-off inside the ASRC.