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WEST LIBERTY -- The West Liberty University men's basketball team capped its regular-season home slate in dominant fashion Sunday, rolling past Concord University, 109-82, inside the ASRC.
With the victory, West Liberty (23-3, 18-1 MEC) secured its ninth consecutive Mountain East Conference regular season championship and its 12th title in the 13-year history of the Mountain East Conference.
The Hilltoppers overwhelmed the Mountain Lions (13-13, 9-9 MEC) with defensive pressure and transition offense, forcing 24 turnovers and converting them into 44 points. West Liberty also dominated inside, scoring 56 points in the paint.
West Liberty wasted little time taking control. Myles Montgomery sparked a 7-0 opening run with a layup and a three-pointer, setting the tone just 90 seconds into the contest. The Hilltoppers continued to attack in transition and control the tempo, shooting 19-of-40 from the field in the first half while forcing 18 Concord turnovers.
By halftime, West Liberty had built a 56-41 advantage behind balanced scoring and relentless defensive pressure.
The Hilltoppers maintained control in the second half. Hayden Abdullah opened the period with a three-pointer, assisted by Montgomery, and Cameron Williams added a fast-break layup to extend the margin. Montgomery continued to orchestrate the offense, adding key baskets and a free throw midway through the half as West Liberty steadily stretched the lead.
The defensive intensity never wavered, and the Hilltoppers closed out the 109-82 victory to secure another championship moment on their home floor.
Montgomery led the way with 22 points, knocking down three three-pointers and adding two steals. Peter Lattos was highly efficient, scoring 17 points on 6-of-7 shooting while grabbing six rebounds and dishing out three assists.
Landon Butler contributed 11 points and two steals, and Williams added 11 points while converting all five of his free-throw attempts.
West Liberty will close out the regular season with road trips to Salem Wednesday and Wheeling on Saturday.
Vinskovich Named MEC Player of the Week After 38-Point
Performance
WEST LIBERTY -- West Liberty redshirt freshman forward Reagan Vinskovich has been named the Mountain East Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week following a dominant two-game stretch highlighted by a historic scoring performance.
The 6-3 forward from Belmont, Ohio (Union Local HS) poured in a career-high 38 points at Glenville State, the most points scored by any MEC player this season. Vinskovich was nearly unstoppable, shooting 16-of-20 (80 percent) from the floor and adding 13 rebounds for a double-double performance. She also contributed three assists, two steals, and a block in the victory.
She followed that performance with 21 points and seven rebounds in West Liberty's win over Concord, finishing the week averaging 29.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game while shooting over 60 percent from the field.
For the season, Vinskovich has emerged as one of the league's most consistent frontcourt players. She is averaging 18.6 points and 9.1 rebounds per game, shooting 54 percent (102-of-189) from the field and 72.7 percent from the free throw line. She has totaled 260 points and 128 rebounds in 373 minutes of action, adding 23 assists, 14 blocks, and nine steals.
Her 38-point outburst not only marked a personal milestone but also stands as the highest single-game scoring effort in the Mountain East Conference this season.