West Liberty, W.Va. – The West Liberty University men's basketball team did something Tuesday night they had never done before, beating Gannon University for the first time in six tries to win the  NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Championship with a 101-90 victory.

 The win secured the Hilltoppers  their eighth regional title and punched their ticket to the Elite Eight next week in Evansville, Ind.

Gannon started hot, knocking down its first five three-pointers to take an early six-point lead less than five minutes into the game. West Liberty responded, and with the game tied at 27, the Hilltoppers put together a 13-2 run to claim a 40-29 advantage with 7:15 remaining in the half. However, the Golden Knights answered with a 12-2 surge of their own, trimming the deficit to just one, 42-41. West Liberty maintained a four-point lead at halftime, 51-47, after an efficient first half that saw both teams shoot over 50% from the field—WLU at 56.8% and GU at 51.5%.

Early in the second half, West Liberty held a slim 60-59 lead before pulling away with a 10-4 run to extend their advantage to 70-63. The Golden Knights never got closer than five points the rest of the way, as the Hilltoppers eventually stretched their lead to 20, hitting the century mark at 101-81 with just 1:20 left to play.

Standout Performances:

• Kyler D'Augustino led all scorers with a game-high 27 points, totaling 55 points for the tournament and earning Atlantic Region MVP honors.

• Lanyc Shuler added 22 points, just one shy of his career high (23), and was named to the All-Region Team.

• Finley Woodward contributed across the board with a game-high nine assists, eight points, and seven rebounds, earning All-Region recognition.

• JJ Harper and Kameron Tinsley also reached double figures, each scoring 13 points.

• Ernest Shelton paced Gannon with 21 points as one of five Golden Knights in double figures.
  
  

With the win, West Liberty improved to 19-1 all-time in NCAA Tournament games at the ASRC and 38-15 overall in NCAA Tournament play. This marks the Hilltoppers' eighth trip to the Elite Eight, having previously advanced in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020, and 2023. The victory also elevated their season record to 30-4, marking the seventh time in program history they have reached the 30-win milestone.

Game Details:

 Gannon – 90
West Liberty – 101
NCAA Atlantic Region Championship | ASRC
Attendance: 1,422
Records: Gannon (27-7) | West Liberty (30-4)

Next stop: Evansville, Indiana, as the Hilltoppers continue their pursuit of a national championship in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight.