WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. — The No. 16 West Liberty University men's basketball team returns to the ASRC on Saturday afternoon, hosting Point Park at 4 p.m. in its Mountain East Conference opener.
The Hilltoppers (4–1) enter league play on a surge after Wednesday night's 112–67 rout of Salem, a performance highlighted by 17 three-pointers, 27 forced turnovers and 59 bench points. West Liberty's high-pressure defense and pace continue to define its early-season identity, as the Hilltoppers are averaging 95.0 points per game while holding a +15 scoring margin.
West Liberty has been particularly disruptive defensively. Through five games, the Hilltoppers own a +8.2 turnover margin, force nearly 20 turnovers per contest, and average 11.4 steals per game. Their ball movement has been equally sharp—WLU ranks at 20.2 assists per night with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.7.
Jamie Muldowney leads the Hilltoppers in scoring at 15.6 points per game, followed closely by Dante Spadafora at 13.2. Peter Lattos (10.0 ppg), Max Hurray (9.8 ppg) and Myles Montgomery (8.2 ppg) headline a deep rotation that has seen 10 players average at least five points. Montgomery also comes off a standout all-around effort vs. Salem, posting 12 points and six steals.
Saturday marks the 37th meeting between the two programs, with West Liberty holding a 21-15 all-time advantage in a series. The most recent matchup came last season on Jan. 23, 2025, when the Hilltoppers rolled to a 112–73 road win in Pittsburgh.
Point Park (0–4, 0–1 MEC) arrives still searching for its first win under the rigors of a road-heavy schedule. The Pioneers have struggled on the glass, carrying a –16.3 rebounding margin, and are allowing 89.8 points per game while opponents shoot .529 from the field.
Offensively, Point Park is led by standout guard Aidan Anderson, who paces the team with 19.5 points per game while shooting 50 percent from the floor and 47 percent from three. Grant Welch adds 14.3 points per night and is the Pioneers' most prolific perimeter threat with 13 made threes. Kaden Warner (10.5 ppg) gives Point Park three double-figure scorers.
The Pioneers average 9.5 made threes per game—an area West Liberty will have circled defensively—yet have struggled to match opponents' physicality inside, being out-rebounded 167–102 through four games.
