West Liberty jumped all over New Haven early on in Tuesday’s national quarterfinal at the Ford Center in Evansville, Ind. The No. 2 Hilltoppers built a 20-point lead before the game was 10 minutes old and cruised from there in taking care of the seventh-seeded Chargers, 95-58.
“We played well and shared the basketball really well,” Hilltoppers’ head coach Ben Howlett said Tuesday night as a guest on MetroNews’ CityNet Statewide Sportsline. “We had 28 assists and from a defensive standpoint, we really locked down and took them out of what they wanted to do.”
The win allows West Liberty (32-3) to advance to a semifinal at 2 p.m. Thursday against No. 3 Black Hills State. That contest will air on CBS Sports Network.
The Hilltoppers were again proficient from the perimeter and made 16-of-36 three-pointers against New Haven. West Liberty was also quite disruptive defensively in forcing 26 turnovers and limiting the Chargers to 49 field-goal attempts as a result.
“All those were off the catch, which is important to us,” Howlett said of the 16 triples. “We don’t recruit guys that can do it off the dribble. We recruit that guys catch it and let it go.”
Nine different Hilltoppers scored at least six points, while Zach Rasile led four WLU double-figure scorers with 14 points. He was followed by two-time Mountain East Conference Player of the Year Bryce Butler (13), Christian Montague (11) and Finley Woodward (10).
Montague hits the triple. Extends the Hilltopper lead to 9 #GoWLU https://t.co/sbVTVxPoPx pic.twitter.com/EjHYewmAD8
— West Liberty Hoops (@WLU_Hoops) March 21, 2023
The Hilltoppers made 20-of-34 two-point field-goal attempts and shot better than 51 percent in all.
Before Tuesday, New Haven (23-11) had not allowed more than 80 points in a game this season and had surrendered 60 or less in each of its three NCAA Tournament victories.
“It was a tough matchup for them, just because they were only playing seven guys,” Howlett said. “We feel comfortable going twelve deep and we wore them out. The game plan was to put all kinds of pressure on them defensively.”
Quashawn Lane and Kendall McMillan led the Chargers with 12 points apiece and Tyrone Perry added 11 in defeat.
The Hilltoppers led 24-4 midway through the first half and 45-21 after the first 20 minutes.
“Midway through the first half, I watched them go to the media timeout and they all walked to the huddle,” Howlett said of New Haven. “There was no jogging. It was a slow-paced walk, and I felt like at that point, we had them.”
It marked West Liberty’s seventh trip to the Elite Eight over the last 13 seasons.
With Glenville State’s women’s team, the defending National Champion, having won Monday night, both the men’s and women’s MEC champion will play in the Final Four.
WEST LIBERTY THROWS UP 16 THREES TO MOVE ON🔥@WLU_Hoops takes down @UNewHavenMBB 9⃣5⃣-5⃣8⃣ to cruise into the final four!#MakeItYours | #MEliteEight pic.twitter.com/2yWTMgM7HW
— NCAA Division II (@NCAADII) March 21, 2023