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2-18-10 WVIAC Men's Basketball Preview

Posted by CoachPMcGinnis on Thursday, February 18, 2010

(PRINCETON, W.Va.)---A confrontation between the top-ranked and seventh-rated teams in the latest NCAA Division II Atlantic Region ratings is the feature attraction on Thursday's WVIAC men's basketball slate.  WVIAC leader West Liberty (20-1, 16-1) puts a 15-game win streak and their lofty regional ranking on the line when Fairmont State (19-3, 14-3) pays a visit.

The Hilltoppers won the first meeting 103-100 in early December behind a balanced attack that placed six players in double figures.  Scott Mirich scored a team-best 20 points, while Mike Mathey added 18 points and 8 assists.  West Liberty shot a sizzling 61 percent from the field to claim the road victory.  Fairmont State was paced by Steve Custis' 24 points, but the Falcons will be without the standout guard's services in the rematch after he was felled by a knee injury during Monday's triumph against Wheeling Jesuit.

West Liberty owns a 10-0 home mark and averages a Division II-best 107.0 points per game.  Corey Pelle paces the Toppers with 18.6 points and 5.5 assists each outing.  Mathey chips in 16.5 points, 6.3 assists, and 6.0 rebounds per game.  Barry Shetzer checks in with 14.7 points per night.  Shetzer exploded for a career-high 40 points and tied a WVIAC single-game record with a dozen three-pointers in Monday's 118-86 win over Seton Hill.

Fairmont State has been one of the WVIAC's top road teams in 2009-10 with an 8-1 mark away from home.  The scoring load for the Falcons will now fall upon Isaac Thornton (14.6 ppg), Dan Bruner (13.7 ppg), and Terrence Green (13.4 ppg).  Bruner hit on a Fairmont State single-game record 11 three-pointers during a blowout victory last week against Salem International.  FSU was the last visiting team to win at West Liberty as the Falcons won 88-79 on February 14, 2008.

Another important contest takes place in Philippi where Alderson-Broaddus (17-5, 13-4) hosts Charleston (15-7, 13-4).  Charleston got 18 points and 14 rebounds from John White to earn a 76-72 win over A-B on November 28.  Terrell Eargle recorded 21 points in the prior meeting.

UC brings a seven-game win streak to Rex Pyles Arena after surviving Davis & Elkins 82-81 in an overtime battle on Monday.  Bahaadar Russell (20.5 ppg) and Jonathan Liggins (16.4 ppg), each of whom joined the Golden Eagles at the semester break and did not play in the first matchup, are UC's top scorers.  White chips in 11.3 points and 10.4 rebounds per night.

A-B guard Jamar Board has 113 three-point field goals and is shooting 49 percent from long distance.  He leads the Battlers in scoring with 20.6 points per game.  Senior Terrell Eargle leads A-B in virtually every other category with 10.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 3.6 steals per game to go with a 15.3 point per contest scoring output.

West Virginia State (20-3, 16-2) doesn't have an easy assignment in their quest to stay near the top of the WVIAC standings and the Atlantic Region rankings as the Jackets travel to Davis & Elkins (12-9, 10-7).  Darren Jones poured in 27 points and West Virginia State made 25 of 26 free throws as the Jackets won the first contest between the squads 88-81.  PJ Turner notched 25 points and 8 assists in defeat for the Senators.

Seton Hill (10-12, 8-9) faces a key contest at Wheeling Jesuit (14-8, 11-6) as the Griffins battle to finish in the WVIAC's top half and earn a first round tournament home contest.

Other games on Thursday's schedule include: Concord (5-17, 4-13) at West Virginia Wesleyan (5-18, 5-13), Pitt Johnstown (13-10, 9-9) at Salem International (2-21, 2-15), Shepherd (6-16, 6-11) at Ohio Valley (5-18, 4-14), and Bluefield State (3-19, 3-14) at Glenville State (5-17, 4-13).
2/16-17 Recaps:
Wheeling Jesuit 79, Concord 62 (Tue.)
(ATHENS)---A 16-0 second half run allowed Wheeling Jesuit to pull away from a 49-49 tie in a 79-62 win over Concord.  Obi Ukwuoma notched 20 points and 9 rebounds to lead the Cardinals.  Brenden Bazillio and Andre Harris tallied 13 points each.  Harris also grabbed nine rebounds and helped WJU own a 48-33 rebounding edge.

Concord, which only shot 36 percent from the field, got 20 points and 6 rebounds from Damien Tunstalle.

Davis & Elkins 96, Bluefield State 91 (Mon.)
(BLUEFIELD)---Tim Turner's 41-point outburst helped Davis & Elkins avoid Bluefield State's upset bid.  Dorian Valentine tallied 16 points as the Senators reached the 10-win mark in league play for the first time in 28 seasons.  PJ Turner chipped in 10 points and 9 assists with no turnovers.

Bluefield State got a double-double of 23 points and 10 rebounds from Sean Weatherspoon.  Rico Thompson registered 20 points for the Big Blues.


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