West Liberty, W.Va. – The No. 16-ranked West Liberty University men's basketball team returns to action following the holiday break on Saturday, traveling to Davis & Elkins for a Mountain East Conference matchup set for 4 p.m. inside the McDonnell Center.
The Hilltoppers enter the weekend with an 8–2 overall record and a perfect 3–0 mark in MEC play, sitting atop the conference standings. West Liberty has been one of the nation's most explosive offensive teams, leading the MEC and ranking among the top-scoring programs in Division II at 95.0 points per game with an average scoring margin of +18.2.
West Liberty's pressure-based system has fueled its success on both ends of the floor. The Hilltoppers are averaging 13.3 steals per game and forcing more than 23 turnovers per contest, converting those miscues into nearly 29 points per game. Offensively, WLU is shooting 48.2 percent from the field, knocking down 10.3 three-pointers per game, and dishing out 19.1 assists per contest while maintaining a strong 1.5 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Jamie Muldowney leads a balanced scoring attack with 14.4 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, while Cameron Williams (10.2 ppg), Dante Spadafora (10.1 ppg), and Peter Lattos (9.9 ppg) all average double figures. Myles Montgomery (9.3 ppg), Terrance Pankey (7.8 ppg), and Landon Butler (7.7 ppg) provide additional scoring punch, as West Liberty has nine players averaging at least 5.7 points per game.
The Hilltoppers closed nonconference play with wins in eight of their last nine games before the break, including three straight 100-point performances against Salem (W.Va.), Point Park, and West Virginia Wesleyan. West Liberty's lone losses this season have come by a combined three points.
Davis & Elkins enters Saturday's contest at 5–6 overall and 2–2 in conference play. The Senators average 81.5 points per game and have played competitive basketball throughout the opening stretch of the season, owning wins over Elizabeth City State, Frostburg State, Salem (W.Va.), Point Park, and Lock Haven.
Vegas Evans leads D&E at 16.4 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, while Matthew Gray adds 15.5 points per contest. Noah Adamczyk (11.2 ppg) and Darrius Roach (9.0 ppg) also provide scoring balance for the Senators, who shoot 46.3 percent from the floor as a team.
West Liberty has dominated the all-time series, holding an 89–28 advantage and riding a 27-game winning streak against the Senators. The Hilltoppers' last loss to Davis & Elkins came during the 2001–02 season. West Liberty swept the 2024–25 season series, including a 78–66 road win in Elkins and a 107–93 victory in West Liberty, before adding a 102–77 win in the MEC Tournament semifinals.
Tip-off between No. 16 West Liberty and Davis & Elkins is scheduled for Saturday at 4 p.m. in Elkins, W.Va.
