West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

[IUP24]

Lol you got that right. Hell, casual fans in Indiana think IUP is glorified high school. Unless you have a direct tie ... Nobody in Pittsburgh cares about D2.

Neither does anybody in Wheeling outside of those affiliated with West Liberty University. This is a niche follow. There's nothing anybody can do to change that. The size of the fan bases, the student support, overall attendance, etc. It is what it is.

[boatcapt]

West Liberty isn't pulling casual fans from the general Pittsburgh area to just go to a game. I would cross that off your wish list of growing attendance. If anyone in West Virginia is pulling people from western PA, they are going to Morgantown for a game, not Wheeling/West Liberty. IUP basketball is the best kept secret in PA sports, but they don't pull or create any fans unaffiliated with the area or school from the Pittsburgh area. All students, alumni, locals, etc.

Sometimes we forget that this is still Division 2 sports. We're a handful of people. Most people think we're weird because we have legitimate interest in any of these programs.

I'd also look at the relative size of the two universities...Roughly 8800 for IUP vs 2800 for WLU. IUP is also part of the town while WLU is a distance away. I'm not implying that Indiana locals are walking to games in the dead of winter, but it is a pretty quick in-town drive for many. While WLU is not that far from Wheeling, it is still up the side of a mountain through the dark of cold sometimes snowy WV countrside! If you are a casual local sports fan in Wheeling, on many WLU game nights you have other options that are much closer.

[Ship69]

Lol you got that right. Hell, casual fans in Indiana think IUP is glorified high school. Unless you have a direct tie ... Nobody in Pittsburgh cares about D2.

Our football coach at Ship has basically stopped holding post-game press interviews because there is usually no press. Harrisburg TV stations located within 30 minutes of our campus act as if we don't exist. The sad thing is that Ship alum work or have worked at some of these stations. Penn State, Penn State, Penn State, Eagles, Eagles, Eagles, blah, blah, blah.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

West Liberty isn't pulling casual fans from the general Pittsburgh area to just go to a game. I would cross that off your wish list of growing attendance. If anyone in West Virginia is pulling people from western PA, they are going to Morgantown for a game, not Wheeling/West Liberty. IUP basketball is the best kept secret in PA sports, but they don't pull or create any fans unaffiliated with the area or school from the Pittsburgh area. All students, alumni, locals, etc.

Sometimes we forget that this is still Division 2 sports. We're a handful of people. Most people think we're weird because we have legitimate interest in any of these programs.

Lol you got that right. Hell, casual fans in Indiana think IUP is glorified high school. Unless you have a direct tie ... Nobody in Pittsburgh cares about D2.

[IUP24]

Wheeling averaged 268 fans so they are not a huge competitor for fans.
The season tickets are < $70 for 14 games, which is less per game than high school games in central ohio.
Wheeling usn't that far from Pittsburgh.
I have heard that that area is big into high school sports.
it will be interesting to see if finals appearance creates a bump in interest.

West Liberty isn't pulling casual fans from the general Pittsburgh area to just go to a game. I would cross that off your wish list of growing attendance. If anyone in West Virginia is pulling people from western PA, they are going to Morgantown for a game, not Wheeling/West Liberty. IUP basketball is the best kept secret in PA sports, but they don't pull or create any fans unaffiliated with the area or school from the Pittsburgh area. All students, alumni, locals, etc.

Sometimes we forget that this is still Division 2 sports. We're a handful of people. Most people think we're weird because we have legitimate interest in any of these programs.

[Columbuseer]

While it's only 12 miles from WLU to Wheeling, it is 12 miles up a mountain. Also Wheeling has a college basketball program that is much closer (Wheeling University). If you are a "local sports" fan, there is a surprizingly lot of competition for your sports time in Wheeling.

Wheeling averaged 268 fans so they are not a huge competitor for fans.
The season tickets are < $70 for 14 games, which is less per game than high school games in central ohio.
Wheeling usn't that far from Pittsburgh.
I have heard that that area is big into high school sports.
it will be interesting to see if finals appearance creates a bump in interest.

[boatcapt]

While it's only 12 miles from WLU to Wheeling, it is 12 miles up a mountain. Also Wheeling has a college basketball program that is much closer (Wheeling University). If you are a "local sports" fan, there is a surprizingly lot of competition for your sports time in Wheeling.

I'd also add that attendance numbers at DII sporting events are far from a standardized process. Is it total tickets sold, total distributed or actual bodies through the turnstiles? The answer is yes...and no...and maybe, all at the same time. I recall a few years ago that UC always posted big attendance numbers for their home football games when clearly the number of butts in seats on game day did not match that number. Turns out that UC was giving tickets away with local Wendy's for the purchase of chicken nuggets. The school was counting the number of tickets distributed as their attendance. I also recall attending a football game at WLU were there was no one to take tickets at the gate...but somehow, they reported attendance at the game. I've also seen some examples of box scores reporting exactly the same attendance for three games in a row (which is hard to believe!).

Sports attendance is like enrollement numbers...It depends on how and who you count! Is it FTE's...Only full time undergrads...Part-Timers...On-Line Students...Undergrad and Graduate students..............Or is it the number Wikipedia reports??

[boatcapt]

I was really impressed by the community support for IUP in a town of 13,000.
For several years, I have wondered why the ASRC at WLU is not sold out for every game. Given the quality of basketball, it should require season tickets to get a seat in the smaller venue, with Wheeling a town of 26,000.
Any thoughts on why attendance is not higher?

While it's only 12 miles from WLU to Wheeling, it is 12 miles up a mountain. Also Wheeling has a college basketball program that is much closer (Wheeling University). If you are a "local sports" fan, there is a surprizingly lot of competition for your sports time in Wheeling.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I was really impressed by the community support for IUP in a town of 13,000.
For several years, I have wondered why the ASRC at WLU is not sold out for every game. Given the quality of basketball, it should require season tickets to get a seat in the smaller venue, with Wheeling a town of 26,000.
Any thoughts on why attendance is not higher?

Come up some time for a regular season game ... Whole different (much better) atmosphere.

IUP has been on Spring Break while hosting each Regional. It sucks. It can get rowdy in there when at full force. Regional weekend is the much tamer, older, townie crowd.

Aside from no students, cheerleaders, dance teams, alcohol, etc., they also put up that ridiculous, court-length press row table. Typically, Row 1 across the benches is essentially on the court.

Joe's slowly built a big (for D2) following. They had 3,000+ for the last 6-7 regular season home games. Part of it is it's become an event of sorts. The Hilton is next door for dinner and happy hour. People come to the games to have a beer with friends, etc.

Most D2 teams play in a 'gym'. The KCAC has a different vibe.

[Columbuseer]

I was really impressed by the community support for IUP in a town of 13,000.
For several years, I have wondered why the ASRC at WLU is not sold out for every game. Given the quality of basketball, it should require season tickets to get a seat in the smaller venue, with Wheeling a town of 26,000.
Any thoughts on why attendance is not higher?

[Columbuseer]

Hopefully so a lot of mouths to feed down there this year. Would have liked to see him stand out from them though

I agree with you that he did not stand out like other recruits, who were the stars of their team.

Pankey from youngstown is a rare combination of great athletic ability, unselfishness and high bball iq.
One hs highlight has him catching an alley oop above the rim with one hand and dunking it.
In wlu open gym he was smooth as silk. He can penetrate into the lane at speed, do a perfect jump stop and bury a 10 foot jump shot. That is a lost skill as many players go barreling into the lane out of control thinking of an in your face dunk without reading the defense and recognizing the opponent is setting up for the charging call.

Pankey does not fall for that ploy. Imho in time he will help compensate for the loss of Malik And Steven.

[Layton]

A local name to tuck away for a couple years is Aiden Davis at Wheeling Park. May turn out to be D1 in football or basketball but he’s not real big right now so he may stay D2. Scholarship worthy in either sport and I think he likes WL. He’s a dude would be a huge get plays PG. Very athletic family son of Bellaire’s Jose Davis and Nate’s nephew. Both D1 QB’s

[Layton]

It might be that he is playing for a great coach but perhaps the wrong system. He is 6-7 and deadly from three. If he has not stopped growing, look out!
I think he has Juwan Staten and Truck Bryant as trainers. WLU will assess when he arrives and redshirt him if needed.

Hopefully so a lot of mouths to feed down there this year. Would have liked to see him stand out from them though

[Columbuseer]

I’m not real high on the big high school kid we took. Didn’t have a great year after transferring and probably 4th or 5th best player on the team

It might be that he is playing for a great coach but perhaps the wrong system. He is 6-7 and deadly from three. If he has not stopped growing, look out!
I think he has Juwan Staten and Truck Bryant as trainers. WLU will assess when he arrives and redshirt him if needed.

[Layton]

I’m not real high on the big high school kid we took. Didn’t have a great year after transferring and probably 4th or 5th best player on the team