WHEELING, W.Va. — The West Liberty University women's basketball team extended its season Wednesday afternoon, defeating West Virginia State University 78-72 in the opening round of the Mountain East Conference Women's Basketball Tournament at WesBanco Arena.
With the win, West Liberty (11-18, 6-14 MEC) advances to the quarterfinal round where the Hilltoppers will face top-seeded Glenville State University on Thursday at 6 p.m..
West Liberty leaned on aggressive play and timely free-throw shooting to secure the victory, converting 28-of-39 attempts at the line while also holding a 17-8 advantage in fast-break points. The Hilltoppers also capitalized on second-chance opportunities, turning offensive rebounds into 15 points, while the teams finished even on the glass with 40 rebounds apiece.
Head coach Kyle Cooper praised his team's resilience after the game.
"Really hard-fought win. You have to give State credit — we kept getting control of the game and they just kept coming back," Cooper said. "But I thought we showed tremendous resilience. There have been times this year where we didn't show that resilience, so for us to do that now that the tournament has started, I'm really proud of our group."
West Liberty opened the game by matching West Virginia State's early intensity. Reagan Vinskovich scored just moments after the opening tip, and the Hilltoppers stayed within striking distance before tying the game on a three-pointer by Olivia Baker with 4:39 left in the first quarter.
The period ended in dramatic fashion when Kaleigh Norris buried a buzzer-beating three-pointer, assisted by Katie Lucarelli, to give West Liberty a 19-17 lead after the opening 10 minutes.
The Hilltoppers carried that momentum into the second quarter. Norris helped extend the advantage with a pair of free throws and another three-pointer, while Vinskovich continued to control the paint. A layup from the Belmont, Ohio native midway through the quarter pushed West Liberty ahead as the Hilltoppers held a 37-32 lead at halftime.
West Liberty seized control in the third quarter, outscoring the Yellow Jackets 19-11. The Hilltoppers established their presence inside with a 14-4 advantage in points in the paint during the period.
Anna Lucarelli opened the scoring in the quarter with a layup to tie the game before Ana-Isabel Andersson Rodriguez sparked a quick scoring run with a fast-break basket. Andersson Rodriguez later knocked down a three-pointer with 1:16 remaining in the quarter to cap the surge and send West Liberty into the final frame with a 56-43 lead.
West Virginia State mounted a late rally in the fourth quarter, but the Hilltoppers sealed the win at the free-throw line. West Liberty converted 18-of-26 free throws in the final period, with Lucarelli stepping up in key moments.
The senior guard finished 12-of-15 from the line, including several clutch makes down the stretch.
"It's a great feeling knowing I'm confident going to the line," Lucarelli said. "I struggled a little earlier in the season, but I just went back to the basics. I've been doing this since I first started playing basketball, so it's really just muscle memory and confidence."
Lucarelli led the Hilltoppers with 20 points and three steals, while Vinskovich paced the offense with 24 points and eight rebounds. Andersson Rodriguez added 15 points and two assists, and Baker contributed three steals and eight rebounds.
Vinskovich set the tone early, scoring 11 points in the first quarter.
"You've got to come at them from the jump," Vinskovich said. "If you don't set the tone early, they will. So we wanted to be the ones to do that."
Cooper also highlighted the growth his team showed compared to the regular-season matchup between the teams.
"The first time we played them we put them on the free-throw line 40 times and lost a close game," Cooper said. "Today we flipped the script with unbelievable discipline at the rim. That's a major growth point for our group."
The victory marks West Liberty's first conference tournament win since 2022 and keeps the Hilltoppers' season alive.
"For me, it's the opportunity to go into another day together," Cooper said. "This team has faced a lot of adversity this year, and I'm proud of how they've stayed connected through all of it."
Now the Hilltoppers turn their attention to the next challenge — a quarterfinal matchup with the tournament's top seed.
"We're going to enjoy this win," Cooper said. "But we know we're going against a great team in Glenville State. We'll be ready to play."
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.
