Frostburg, Md. – The No.7 West Liberty University men's basketball team suffered a narrow defeat Wednesday night, falling 102-100 to Frostburg State in Mountain East Conference (MEC) action. The loss marked Frostburg State's first-ever victory over West Liberty and the Hilltoppers' second straight setback, dropping their record to 11-2 overall and 5-1 in the MEC.

The Hilltoppers faced a 54-45 deficit at halftime but stormed out of the locker room with a strong start to the second half, surging to a 63-60 lead less than three minutes into the frame.

The game featured 18 lead changes in a thrilling back-and-forth battle. West Liberty held its final lead at 88-87 with 7:45 left to play, but a quick 8-0 run by the Bobcats put them ahead 95-88. Despite a late rally by the Hilltoppers, cutting the deficit to one point at 99-98 with 1:59 remaining, Frostburg State held on for the upset victory.

Top Performers:

• West Liberty:

  • Kyler D'Augustino led the Hilltoppers with 26 points.

  • JJ Harper contributed 16 points before fouling out.

  • Lanyc Shuler and JP Dragas each added 12 points, while Kameron Tinsley finished with 11.

• Frostburg State:

  • Jaden Baker led all scorers with 32 points.

  • Koby Baptiste followed with 25 points.

West Liberty will look to regroup Saturday when they host No. 9 Fairmont State in a highly anticipated top-10 matchup at the ASRC. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m.

Game Details:

• Final Score: Frostburg State 102, West Liberty 100

• Location: Bobcat Arena

• Attendance: 297

• Records: FSU (5-8, 3-4 MEC), WLU (11-2, 5-1 MEC)