WHEELING, W. Va- The Men's Basketball team was eliminated from the MEC tournament on Sunday evening after falling to West Liberty in a defensive struggle for both sides. It ended with the Hilltoppers clinching the MEC Tournament Title by a final score of 70-59.   
 
Photo Gallery
Final Stats
Postgame Press Conference
 
How it Happened
 
Charleston entered Sunday's Championship game in desperate need of a win to qualify for the 2022 NCAA Tournament. The Golden Eagles were able to effectively stunt the offense of Division II's number two team by holding the Hilltoppers to just 70 points.
 
Charleston did almost everything right on Sunday evening at WesBanco except for hit shots when they needed them the most. Although Keith Williams and Lamont McManus put together another set of impressive performances, their efforts would be in vain. The Golden Eagles shot just 37% as a team compared to 41% for West Liberty.
 
But for the Head Coach Dwaine Osborne he sees those numbers as a win. When you crunch the numbers and see that Charleston was able to hold one of the best scoring offenses in the country to less than 50% shooting, 3-17 from beyond the arc, and below 80 points for the game, Charleston would usually find a way to come out on top.
 
"The game, in a lot of ways went how we wanted it to go," Osborne said. "In my nine years we've played them in the championship game three times – we've won one and now they've won two – and I think if you go back and look at them it was 72-60, I think, two years ago when we played them. When we beat them it was 63-60."
 
For the members of the UC team this loss was definitely a tough one to swallow. To be able to hold prolific scoring team like West Liberty to just 41% shooting is no small feat. Osborne elaborated on this fact saying, "I think when you look at this box, it's the story of just a little bit. They make 24 shots, we make 23. They make three threes and we make two. You know, they have a couple more rebounds than us, they have two more assists than us, we have two or three more turnovers, they have one more steal – it's just every category is a one or two type play from each of those."
 
One of the biggest determining factors in the game was shots from the charity stripe. The Golden Eagles made just four of their 11 shots from the line in the first half – a stark contrast to the Hilltoppers who were 8-10 on free throws. A few times the Golden Eagles missed the first of their one-and-one shots from the line which ended up costing them valuable points in the end.
 
Charleston also got into foul trouble late in the game as two players in Lamont McManus and Riley Heatherington fouled out in the contest. Osborne was forced to sub out Lamont McManus with just under five minutes to play after the redshirt senior picked up his fourth foul due to a an offensive foul by McManus. 

Down the stretch, Charleston extended their lead to as many as eight at 43-35 with 13:43 left to play to play. The Hilltoppers came storming back and put up 10 straight points to take the lead at 47-45. Lamont would bring the Golden Eagles to within one point after a layup at the 4:29 mark, but the surge would not be enough.
 
The struggles from three point land continued for the Golden Eagles when they needed them the most. They were only able to convert on one shot from beyond the arc in the second half, going just 1-10.
 
Keith Williams and Lamont McManus were named to the All-Tournament Team thanks their efforts over the weekend. Keith totaled 19 points and seven rebounds while Lamont picked up 20 points, his third consultive game with 20+ points. McManus also earned the Commissioner's Heart and Hustle Award.
 
 
 
Tournament Leading Scorer
Isaiah Sanders (FAIR), 30.0 ppg (2 games)

Commissioner's Heart & Hustle Awards
Lamont McManus (UC)

All-Tournament Team
KJ Walker (AB)
Matt Weir (CU)
Isaiah Sanders (FAIR)
Jordan Reid (WU)
Lamont McManus (UC)
Keith Williams (UC)
Will Yoakum (WL)
MVP-Pat Robinson (WL)