Matchup

This game has the makings of an exciting afternoon at the Rockefeller Center on Saturday. Wesleyan hosts West Liberty, who will be out for revenge after losing at home to this Bobcats team early in December. The Hilltoppers boast one of the nation's top offenses, scoring an average of 105.5 points per game this season. They did not reach that mark however on December 4th, when they lost at home for only the eighth time this decade, at the hands of the Bobcats 94-91. The Hilltoppers led for 39 minutes of that game, including leads as large as twenty points. Coach Ben Howlett has certainly been preaching to his players to not let the past affect the emotions of this game, but there is no doubt that one plays in the minds of this West Liberty team, who is currently outside the top 25 in the national rankings due to that loss. It seems to be stated every preview, but with Coach Nick Patella playing his team at a slower pace than the rest of the high scoring Mountain East Conference, the speed of the game is going to be vital towards the outcome on Saturday. 

Key Statistics

West Liberty ranks second in the NCAA in team scoring (105.5 ppg).
West Liberty leads the NCAA in scoring margin (+26.7).
West Liberty is fourth in the NCAA in three point shooting percentage (41.8%).
Wesleyan is third in the MEC in rebounding margin (+2.1).
Dusan Vicentic and West Liberty's Dalton Bolon are tied for third in the MEC in rebounding (8.5 rpg).

Storylines

The obvious storyline coming into Saturday is West Liberty's attempt to avenge their early season home loss to Wesleyan. Beyond that, the Bobcats have an opportunity to again prove to the league that they can beat anyone on any given night, and will be a threat come tournament time. Before Wednesday at Wheeling, they had been struggling with inconsistent play, and poor decision making late in games. That went away with a clutch late victory over the Cardinals, making offensive and defensive plays in the final minutes to leave with a victory. A win on Saturday would get them back to .500 in the MEC at 7-7, and would also go a long ways towards securing a coveted top six seed in the MEC Tournament. West Liberty is currently on a ten-game winning streak, so a second win over them this season, and to do it at home, would certainly keep building the support for the Bobcats on campus here in Buckhannon.

Players to Watch - West Virginia Wesleyan

Dusan Vicentic (16.9 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 52.3 fg%)
Daylin Lee (13.4 ppg, 43.8 3pt%)

Players to Watch - West Liberty

Dalton Bolon (18.2 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 39.7 3pt%)
Will Yoakum (17.8 ppg, 48.8 3pt%)

How to Engage

Get to the Rockfeller Center. Tip-off is set for 4 PM, and a home-court environment is going to make this an exciting day on campus. In-game content will also be featured on @WVWCBobcats and @WVWC_Hoops on Twitter. If you cannot make it to the game, the live broadcast with play-by-play announcer Lucas Trovato can be found on the MEC Digital Network and at @WVWCBobcats on Twitter.