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Crosstown Rivalries Take Center Stage On 1/18 WVIAC Men's Basketball Schedule
1/18/2010

(PRINCETON, W.Va.)---A pair of crosstown rivalries take center stage on the January 18 WVIAC men's basketball schedule as Charleston hosts West Virginia State and West Liberty welcomes Wheeling Jesuit.

No. 25 West Virginia State has won 24 straight WVIAC regular season contests and leads this season's league race with a 7-0 mark.  The 11-1 Jackets have taken their last seven contests since falling to Barry (FL) on November 28.  Guards Darren Jones (22.0 ppg) and Cookie Miller (19.5 ppg) lead the WVSU attack.  Forward Fred Harris has swatted away a WVIAC-best 56 shots and also paces State with 7.5 rebounds per game.

Charleston (6-5, 5-2) has dropped league contests to West Liberty and Wheeling Jesuit in recent days after jumping out a 5-0 WVIAC start.  The Golden Eagles need to protect their home court at Eddie King Gym to avoid facing a three-game deficit in the conference standings.  Five UC players average scoring in double figures, including forward John White.  The senior captain contributes 11.5 points and a WVIAC-best 11.3 rebounds per game for the Golden Eagles.

State won both 2008-09 matchups in blowout fashion.  Jones had 24 points in a 105-70 home win at Fleming Hall.  WVSU then rolled to a 50-24 halftime lead before coasting to an 84-66 victory in the regular season finale at UC.

West Liberty (10-1, 6-1) goes for their second victory of the season against Northern Panhandle rival Wheeling Jesuit (8-4, 5-2).  The Toppers pulled away from a 42-39 advantage after one half to down the Cardinals 90-69 in a non-league affair on November 21.  Corey Pelle contributed 18 opints and six assists for WL.  The Topper defense limited WJU to 34.8 percent shooting from the field and forced 29 turnovers.  Andre Harris had a double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Cards.

Head coach Jim Crutchfield's West Liberty squad has gone over the 100-point mark in six of seven WVIAC contests and averages 108.3 points in league games.  Pelle (19.7 ppg, 6.3 apg) and Mike Mathey (16.4 ppg, 5.7 apg) spark the up-tempo Topper attack.

Wheeling Jesuit earned an impressive 80-78 road win at Charleston on Saturday when Brenden Bazillio tossed in the game winner with six seconds left in the cotnest.  Sophomore forward Steve Catich leads WJU in scoring with 14.7 points per game.  Obi Ukwuoma adds 11.3 points and a team-best 7.1 rebounds each outing.

Ancient rivals Alderson-Broaddus (9-2, 5-1) and Davis & Elkins (6-4, 5-2) clash at Rex Pyles Arena.  The Battlers have dominated the series with 20 consecutive victories over the Senators since Rolondo Hall's 20 points and 10 rebounds led D&E to a 79-52 win on February 11, 1999.

D&E is on a three-game win streak following Saturday's 87-81 win at Shepherd.  The Senators are led by in scoring by Tim Turner's 19.6 points per game.  P.J. Turner provides 14.1 points and a WVIAC-leading 9.6 assists per contest.

Alderson-Broaddus has ripped off nine victories since starting 0-2.  Jamar Board has scored 20 or more points in each of the past six outings and tops the A-B scoring chart with 21.5 points per game.  Senior Terrell Eargle provides 16.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists each night.

Fairmont State (11-1, 6-1) puts their seven-game win streak on the line at Seton Hill (7-5, 5-2).  The Falcons have averaged a winning margin of 24.4 points per game during the hot stretch and no contest has been closer than 14 points.  Steve Custis' 18.8 points per game is best among four Falcons that average scoring in double figures.  Terrence Green adds 13.2 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.

Seton Hill saw a modest three-game win streak end in a 78-69 upset loss at Glenville State on Saturday night.  Guard Chris Giles is third in the WVIAC with 20.9 points per game.  Cody Boone provides an inside presence with 10.0 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per contest.

Concord (3-9, 2-5) looks for their second win of the year against cross-county foe Bluefield State (2-9, 2-4).  The Mountain Lions shot a season-best 57.1 percent from the field in a non-conference 89-58 dismantling of the homestanding Big Blues on November 27.

Pitt Johnstown (5-7, 1-6) hosts Shepherd (1-11, 1-6) and Salem International (0-13, 0-7) welcomes Ohio Valley (3-9, 2-5) in the other WVIAC contests on Monday night's docket.