Live Stats vs West Liberty
Live Video vs West Liberty
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - The University of Charleston must step in front of that runaway locomotive otherwise known as West Liberty on Thursday.
Mark Downey, UC's first-year coach, wouldn't mind a trade.
"I think for our sake, it's a game we'd rather play in February than December, as far as being a new staff and putting in a new system," Downey said.
The Eagles trek to the Northern Panhandle for a 7:30 p.m. contest Thursday against the defending West Virginia Conference champs, who are ranked seventh in the NABC national Division II rankings released Tuesday.
After a 108-71 home win Tuesday over Fairmont State, the Hilltoppers (6-0, 3-0) were averaging a ridiculous 133 points an outing. And that's only the tip of a comical stat sheet.
Before Tuesday, the team field-goal percentage was .503 - wait, that's the 3-point percentage, with the Hilltoppers averaging 18 made per game. The overall field-goal percentage is .565.
It keeps going: Thirty-two assists, 26-plus forced turnovers and 18 steals on average, a plus-13 rebounding margin, nine players averaging double-figures, etc.
One caveat here: The Hilltoppers haven't exactly gotten to the meat of their schedule. They opened against a Lock Haven team in such disarray it held open-campus tryouts, and West Liberty won 154-48. They have left home just once, outrunning up-tempo Concord 149-93. They were "limited" to 105 points by Alderson-Broaddus.
"What's impressive is they spanked A-B by 40," said State coach Bryan Poore. "A-B is a little bit down, but [Greg] Zimmerman can coach and they're not that bad. [West Liberty has] got a lot of kids back, so they're going to hit their stride before everybody else does."
That could include UC (3-3, 1-1), who is coming off a 79-59 loss to third-ranked Bellarmine of Louisville, Ky. The Eagles have a veteran presence in top scorer John Liggins (18.0) and double-double machine John White (12.0 points, 11.8 rebounds per game), and big Ibrahim Marone (10.4, 4.4).
Marone is hampered by an ankle injury, which includes ligament damage. He could have surgery and essentially lose his senior season, so he's grinding out 15 minutes a game.
UC must consistently escape its backcourt and then be efficient offensively.
"Even if you break their press, you're not going to beat them 76-69," Downey said. "You've got to score to beat them - they impose their will on you."
UC returns home to play Alderson-Broaddus (4-2, 2-2) at 8 p.m. Saturday.
