West Liberty, W.Va. - The regular season comes to a close Saturday afternoon as the West Liberty University women's basketball team travels to face Wheeling University at 2 p.m.
West Liberty enters the finale at 10-17 overall and 6-13 in Mountain East Conference play, while Wheeling sits at 16-11 overall and 11-8 in league action. The Hilltoppers hold a 57-49 edge in the all-time series, though the Cardinals claimed a 78-52 win in the first meeting back on Jan. 24 inside the ASRC.
Saturday's matchup features one of the league's top offensive teams against its stingiest defense.
West Liberty ranks fourth in the MEC in scoring at 73.6 points per game and leads the conference in assists (15.1 per game). The Hilltoppers are also second in the league in 3-point field goals made (8.1 per game) and fifth in 3-point percentage (.320), emphasizing their perimeter-oriented attack.
Wheeling, meanwhile, leads the MEC in scoring defense, allowing just 58.2 points per game, and tops the league in 3-point defense (.241). The Cardinals own a +6.1 scoring margin, fourth-best in the conference, and force 17.9 turnovers per game while committing just 13.1 themselves (+4.9 turnover margin, third in the MEC).
Olivia Baker continues to be one of the nation's premier long-range threats. She ranks second in NCAA Division II with 83 three-pointers made this season and leads the MEC in both 3-point percentage (.395) and 3-pointers per game (4.2).
Baker averages 14.9 points per game and has connected on 83-of-210 attempts from beyond the arc, helping fuel a West Liberty offense that has made 219 triples this season — second-most in the conference.
Anna Lucarelli paces the Hilltoppers at 15.8 points and 6.7 rebounds per game while ranking among the MEC leaders in assists (4.1 per game). Reagan Vinskovich adds 19.0 points and a team-high 9.7 rebounds per contest, shooting an efficient 54.6 percent from the floor.
Ana-Isabel Andersson has dished out 113 assists (4.7 per game), second-most in the MEC, while Katie Lucarelli provides steady production on both ends with 77 assists and 37 steals.
As a team, West Liberty is shooting .417 from the field, fifth-best in the MEC, and has eclipsed 80 points six times this season.
Wheeling is led by Kenzie Dalton, who averages 16.7 points, 7.4 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game while playing nearly 40 minutes per contest. Sierra Lacosta adds 12.8 points and 51 made three-pointers, while Emma Reynolds contributes 9.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.
The Cardinals are shooting .404 from the field and .278 from three but have excelled at the free-throw line (.762) and in taking care of the basketball.
Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. inside the McDonough Center as the Hilltoppers look to finish the regular season on a high note before postseason play begins next week.
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.
