WEST LIBERTY — West Liberty (17-3, 12-1 MEC) edged Charleston Golden Eagles, 89-84, in a hard-fought Mountain East Conference matchup Saturday night at the ASRC.

The Hilltoppers relied on balanced scoring and efficiency at the free-throw line, converting 26-of-31 attempts, to secure the win in a back-and-forth contest that featured nine ties and seven lead changes. Charleston kept the pressure on with 13 three-pointers, but West Liberty’s poise down the stretch proved decisive.

West Liberty and Charleston traded baskets throughout an evenly played first half. Myles Montgomery knocked down an early 3-pointer at the 18:20 mark, assisted by Aiden Davis, as the Hilltoppers stayed aggressive in transition, scoring nine fast-break points. West Liberty also forced six steals, turning defensive pressure into key scoring opportunities. Contributions from Dante Spadafora and Terrance Pankey Jr. helped the Hilltoppers carry a slim 41-40 advantage into halftime.

Momentum swung in West Liberty’s favor midway through the second half. Jamie Muldowney buried back-to-back 3-pointers beginning at 13:05 to flip a deficit into a Hilltopper lead. Montgomery followed with another triple at 10:58, pushing the margin to seven.

Charleston continued to battle, but West Liberty maintained control behind steady execution and clutch free-throw shooting. A layup by Cameron Williams at 2:42 helped preserve the lead, and the Hilltoppers sealed the win at the line in the final moments to secure the 89-84 victory.

Montgomery led West Liberty with 19 points, knocking down 4-of-5 shots from beyond the arc while adding five rebounds. Spadafora chipped in 15 points, went a perfect 8-for-8 at the free-throw line, and added three steals. Williams finished with 13 points, three assists, and two steals, while Hayden Abdullah provided a defensive spark with two blocks.

West Liberty returns to action Wednesday, hosting Davis & Elkins Senators at the ASRC with tipoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Hilltopper Women Come Up Short vs. Golden Eagles

WEST LIBERTY — West Liberty dropped their Mountain East Conference contest to Charleston Golden Eagles, 79-65, Saturday afternoon at the ASRC.

Charleston built an early cushion with a 20-10 first quarter and maintained control throughout, using transition opportunities and second-chance scoring to keep the Hilltoppers at bay. West Liberty finished with 30 points in the paint and held a 6-2 edge in steals but was unable to overcome 18 points allowed off turnovers.

The Hilltoppers faced an early deficit as Charleston opened the game with a 14-2 run, highlighted by a 3-pointer from Ksenija Mitric at the 9:14 mark. Reagan Vinskovich briefly sparked West Liberty with a layup at 4:34, but the Golden Eagles continued to find success inside and closed the quarter up 20-10.

Charleston extended its lead in the second quarter with a 12-0 run to go ahead 30-15 midway through the period. West Liberty received baskets from Jameka Brungard and Anna Lucarelli, but Charleston carried a 44-25 advantage into halftime.

West Liberty (6-14, 3-10 MEC) returns to action Wednesday, hosting Davis & Elkins Senators at the ASRC with tipoff scheduled for 5:30 p.m.