West Liberty, W.Va. – The No. 6 West Liberty University men's basketball team rewrote the record books Wednesday night with a dominant 162-106 victory over Salem at the ASRC for their 12th straight win.
The Hilltoppers' 162 points set a new single-game scoring record, surpassing the previous mark of 158 set against Glenville State on November 17, 2018, in a 158-106 victory. Additionally, WLU set a new single-game assist record with 44, breaking the previous benchmark of 41 recorded against OU Eastern on November 15, 2004.
West Liberty wasted no time setting the tone, putting up a season-high 74 points in the first half while shooting 53 percent from the field and knocking down 13 three-pointers. They took a commanding 74-45 lead into halftime.
Earlier in the day, the Hilltoppers learned they had been ranked No. 1 in the first Atlantic Region poll. They backed up that ranking with an even stronger second half, pouring in 88 points while hitting 14 more three-pointers, finishing just three short of the program's single-game record of 30.
All nine players who saw action reached double figures in scoring. John Dragas led the charge with a career-high 29 points, shooting an impressive 7-of-8 from beyond the arc. JJ Harper added 25 points, followed by Kyler D'Augustino (20), Daniel Autrey (19), Lanyc Shuler (17), Kameron Tinsley (15), Vadim Clanet (14), Garrison Kisner (13), and Finley Woodward (10).
With the victory, the Hilltoppers improved to 24-3 overall and 17-2 in the Mountain East Conference (MEC).
West Liberty will wrap up its regular season on Saturday when they host county rival Wheeling at 4:00 p.m. at the ASRC.
Game Details:
Salem - 106
West Liberty - 162
Venue: ASRC
Attendance: 527
Salem Record: 5-22
West Liberty Record: 24-3, 17-2
