West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

[Layton]

Shots looked good in warm up let’s see if it translates

[Scrub]

Recall before the buzzer-beater was deemed too late, freshman Preston Bowell hit an ugly, banked in corner-ish trey to put Wheeling ahead. That was wild. I saw it live.

Yup. I was there for that as well. Absolute trash shot. But that's why they call it "March Madness" I suppose.

And it's fun to think about all the places in the Atlantic Region that good ol' Preston Boswell made pit stops: Wheeling, WLU, Cal, and now as an assistant coach with D&E.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

They say it's hard to beat a good team 3 times in a single season. WVSU found that out the hard way yesterday when they fell very flat in their attempt to triple-sweep Charleston. The Hilltoppers, though, did manage (through a furious second-half comeback) to topple Concord for a third time last night. The question is which side of that old adage will we see tonight? Will Charleston complete the 3-game sweep? Or will the Hilltoppers prove the adage true and steal back a win from UC?

Thought I'd do a quick dive into the history:

-- The last time WLU lost to the same team twice in a single season was 2016-2017. They lost to the Haywood Highsmith/Pat Moseh Wheeling Jesuit squad on the last day of the regular season and then again in the first round of the NCAA Regional. (And if I'm not mistaken, that was the game where Zac Grossenbacher hit a deep game-winning 3 at the buzzer only to have it incorrectly waved off by the stripes (with much photographic evidence of the mistake making the rounds on social media).

-- The Rob Reed Concord team also got them twice the year before (in 2015-2016).

-- There were also years where some of those powerful UPJ & Salem International teams (from the old WVIAC days) handled the Crutchfield-led Toppers twice in a season. Outgoing WLU AD, Lynn Ullom is fond of saying that the best football team in the WVIAC was the Salem International basketball team. They had some serious dudes back then.

-- But in order to find a season in which the Hilltoppers lost to the same opponent THREE times in a single season, you have to go all the way back to 2003-2004 when Wheeling Jesuit dealt the Hilltoppers 3 losses. In truth, just about everybody on the schedule dealt the Hilltoppers a loss that year--it was the final year of the Dan Petri era and WLU (still WLSC at the time) went 4-23. The only reason they lost to Wheeling Jesuit three times is that is the only opponent that actually got to play them three times.

-- The very next year, in 2004, a young tennis coach (who had tried his hand at a bit of basketball coaching back in his teaching days at tiny Cameron High School in the hills of Marshall County) took over the WLSC basketball program, and the rest is history.

In short, NEVER in the Crutchfield or Post-Crutch era has a team beaten the Hilltoppers 3 times in a single season. Here's hoping WLU avoids that little bit of infamy tonight on the Wesbanco Arena floor.

Recall before the buzzer-beater was deemed too late, freshman Preston Bowell hit an ugly, banked in corner-ish trey to put Wheeling ahead. That was wild. I saw it live.

[Scrub]

They say it's hard to beat a good team 3 times in a single season. WVSU found that out the hard way yesterday when they fell very flat in their attempt to triple-sweep Charleston. The Hilltoppers, though, did manage (through a furious second-half comeback) to topple Concord for a third time last night. The question is which side of that old adage will we see tonight? Will Charleston complete the 3-game sweep? Or will the Hilltoppers prove the adage true and steal back a win from UC?

Thought I'd do a quick dive into the history:

-- The last time WLU lost to the same team twice in a single season was 2016-2017. They lost to the Haywood Highsmith/Pat Moseh Wheeling Jesuit squad on the last day of the regular season and then again in the first round of the NCAA Regional. (And if I'm not mistaken, that was the game where Zac Grossenbacher hit a deep game-winning 3 at the buzzer only to have it incorrectly waved off by the stripes (with much photographic evidence of the mistake making the rounds on social media).

-- The Rob Reed Concord team also got them twice the year before (in 2015-2016).

-- There were also years where some of those powerful UPJ & Salem International teams (from the old WVIAC days) handled the Crutchfield-led Toppers twice in a season. Outgoing WLU AD, Lynn Ullom is fond of saying that the best football team in the WVIAC was the Salem International basketball team. They had some serious dudes back then.

-- But in order to find a season in which the Hilltoppers lost to the same opponent THREE times in a single season, you have to go all the way back to 2003-2004 when Wheeling Jesuit dealt the Hilltoppers 3 losses. In truth, just about everybody on the schedule dealt the Hilltoppers a loss that year--it was the final year of the Dan Petri era and WLU (still WLSC at the time) went 4-23. The only reason they lost to Wheeling Jesuit three times is that is the only opponent that actually got to play them three times.

-- The very next year, in 2004, a young tennis coach (who had tried his hand at a bit of basketball coaching back in his teaching days at tiny Cameron High School in the hills of Marshall County) took over the WLSC basketball program, and the rest is history.

In short, NEVER in the Crutchfield or Post-Crutch era has a team beaten the Hilltoppers 3 times in a single season. Here's hoping WLU avoids that little bit of infamy tonight on the Wesbanco Arena floor.

[Scrub]

You guys survived a bad night. That's what good teams do.

I just had a feeling WL was going to come back and win that game. Concord had every chance to pull away and just kept coughing the opportunities up. I thought they got very sloppy with the ball (obviously WL makes everybody get sloppy with the ball).

I did feel bad for Concord's J.J. Harper. He played an incredible game. That dude is like the Energizer Bunny. I can't say I agreed with his late technical. He was certainly provoked. I think that easily could have been one on each player.

I'm glad I tuned in. It was entertaining.


On an interesting note, it was odd Charleston sat behind WL and cheered for the Hilltoppers. Was that them playing some sort of head games, or did they just really want to play WL instead of Concord?

I too had a feeling WLU was going to take care of Concord. Even with the 15-point margin at one point in the first half (which, by the way, happened the last time WLU beat Concord as well), I just never panicked about the Toppers' ability to come back in that one.

Harper was a beast last night for sure. He played like a man possessed. I actually thought they would call the double technical on that play. Or, they actually could have called neither player and assigned the technical to the Concord bench (due to the Concord coach leaving the bench area while play was still going on). Granted, that coach had the right intentions--break up a potential skirmish before it started--but you still can't come screaming off the bench in the middle of play. Either of those options (double T or a T to the bench that doesn't go against Harper's personal total) might have been the better option for the zebras.

No clue what Charleston was doing. Other than the fact that they might actually like their chances against WLU better than against Concord. Concord is a big physical team that doesn't mind playing slow in the half court. Maybe Charleston figures that's a tougher match-up for them. [shrug]

[IUPbigINDIANS]

What a comeback! WLU punches their MEC Final ticket with a 77-71 win over Concord!

You guys survived a bad night. That's what good teams do.

I just had a feeling WL was going to come back and win that game. Concord had every chance to pull away and just kept coughing the opportunities up. I thought they got very sloppy with the ball (obviously WL makes everybody get sloppy with the ball).

I did feel bad for Concord's J.J. Harper. He played an incredible game. That dude is like the Energizer Bunny. I can't say I agreed with his late technical. He was certainly provoked. I think that easily could have been one on each player.

I'm glad I tuned in. It was entertaining.


On an interesting note, it was odd Charleston sat behind WL and cheered for the Hilltoppers. Was that them playing some sort of head games, or did they just really want to play WL instead of Concord?

[boatcapt]

What a comeback! WLU punches their MEC Final ticket with a 77-71 win over Concord!

[boatcapt]

Millersville already lost.

WLU is sitting at 25 points at halftime. Got to be their WORST half of basketball all season. We've made TWO 3 point shots

[IUPalum]

For Millersville to jump over WLU I think they have to do better in their conf tourney than WLU does. Effectively that would mean a WLU loss tonight coupled with a Ville win tonight OR Ville and WLU winning today and then WLU losing in the MEC champ game and Ville winning the PSAC tourney.

Millersville already lost.

[boatcapt]

One could easily argue for Millersville over WLU in this scenario.

For Millersville to jump over WLU I think they have to do better in their conf tourney than WLU does. Effectively that would mean a WLU loss tonight coupled with a Ville win tonight OR Ville and WLU winning today and then WLU losing in the MEC champ game and Ville winning the PSAC tourney.

[Scrub]

Not for long. Millersville is getting waxed in Erie.

(I just turned on the video--facepalm)

[IUPbigINDIANS]

One could easily argue for Millersville over WLU in this scenario.

Not for long. Millersville is getting waxed in Erie.

[Scrub]

Top 4 are in and PROBABLY in the positions that they are in the latest RR. 5-8 (5-7 with Lincoln). Four of that group are still in it and can control their own destiny. A victory by any of the four in todays semi's will lock them in although all four are probably underdogs. Assuming all four lose today, the question will be how much ESU is penalized for losing a round earlier than any of their competators for 5-7? Lock Haven should move ahead of ESU based on H-to-H. If we go chalk today, I predict:

1a. Gannon
1b. Cal
3a. UC
3b. WLU
5. Millersville
6. Concord
7. Haven
8. ESU (but Lincoln)
9. WV State
10. Lincoln

* Top 4 TBD by the result of the conf champ game.

One could easily argue for Millersville over WLU in this scenario.

[boatcapt]

The win today makes us all feel a little better. A loss to Concord tomorrow would at least be a respectable loss.

But, let's not stop there. Let's go after that revenge game with Charleston!

After a second half of the regular season that saw more 3 points shots clank off of iron than in any full season in the previous 20 (translate, we shot 3's terribly in the second half of the season), WLU has found their stroke again. Now, granted, it wasn't vs what would be considered top caliber opponents, but still...hot shooting is hot shooting. I'd much rather be playing Concord today coming off two excellent shooting games than coming off a couple of 20% three point performances.

[boatcapt]

ESU is really bad in the record vs regionally ranked category. That will hurt them Sunday night.

I think WL is in good shape.

However, I'd cheer against Lock Haven just to be safe.

Top 4 are in and PROBABLY in the positions that they are in the latest RR. 5-8 (5-7 with Lincoln). Four of that group are still in it and can control their own destiny. A victory by any of the four in todays semi's will lock them in although all four are probably underdogs. Assuming all four lose today, the question will be how much ESU is penalized for losing a round earlier than any of their competators for 5-7? Lock Haven should move ahead of ESU based on H-to-H. If we go chalk today, I predict:

1a. Gannon
1b. Cal
3a. UC
3b. WLU
5. Millersville
6. Concord
7. Haven
8. ESU (but Lincoln)
9. WV State
10. Lincoln

* Top 4 TBD by the result of the conf champ game.