LAKELAND, Fla. — The No. 4-ranked West Liberty University men's basketball team responded to a season-opening setback with an impressive performance Sunday night, knocking off No. 2 Washburn, 91-85, at Jenkins Field House to finish 1-1 at the Small College Basketball tournament.
The Hilltoppers (1-1) established control early, taking a 50-26 lead into halftime before holding off a second-half rally by the Ichabods. West Liberty connected on 10 3-pointers in the opening half and finished the night 13 of 30 from beyond the arc.
The bounce-back performance was exactly what head coach Mike Lamberti wanted to see from his team following Saturday's 109-92 loss to Florida Southern.
"Something we preach from day one is to have a glass-half-full approach and, when adversity hits, be more solution-based than negative," Lamberti said. "I thought we had a really good film session this morning in the hotel, and the way the boys were focused in that first half showed that they were dialed in and bought into what we're trying to do here as a program."
West Liberty opened the game with a 9-0 run and continued to build its advantage with an outstanding perimeter attack. After taking a 19-4 lead, the Hilltoppers connected on five 3-pointers during a stretch that pushed the margin to 35-12. They committed just three turnovers in the first half and converted Washburn mistakes into 21 points over the course of the game.
Washburn came out of the break with a much different look, scoring 59 points in the second half and gradually working its way back into the contest. The Ichabods cut the deficit to 86-83 with 33 seconds remaining, putting pressure on the Hilltoppers down the stretch.
West Liberty answered at the free-throw line.
Myles Montgomery converted two free throws with 29 seconds remaining,
Cameron Williams added one at the line and
Landon Butler knocked down two more in the final seconds to help secure the six-point victory.
"We needed every bit of that 24-point lead in the first half," Lamberti said. "Washburn is really, really good, and that fight in the second half made it really interesting. But I'm proud of our guys for coming together in the last two minutes, getting some big-time rebounds and making some free throws down the stretch to hold on for the win."
Montgomery led the Hilltoppers with 20 points and five assists, going 8 of 9 at the free-throw line.
Cody Schmitz added 14 points on 5-of-6 shooting and grabbed five rebounds.
Aiden Davis finished with 13 points, including three 3-pointers, and three assists.
Peter Lattos contributed seven points, eight rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots. West Liberty finished with 20 assists on 30 made field goals and held a 26-11 advantage in bench points.
The Hilltoppers return home this weekend to host the Atlantic Region Crossover at the Academic, Sports and Recreation Complex (ASRC). West Liberty opens Friday against Pitt-Johnstown before taking on California (Pa.) on Saturday.
West Liberty University blends a small-town environment with a comprehensive college experience, fostering students' aspirations through hands-on learning, personalized support, and unique academic programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Learn more at
westliberty.edu.
