WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. -- West Liberty used a 15-0 run midway through the opening half and never looked back in an 89-59 victory over Fairmont State to advance to the 2015 Atlantic Region Championship Game on Sunday evening at the ASRC.
West Liberty (29-3) began its 15-0 run at the 11:48 mark to stretch a 22-21 advantage to a 37-21 advantage just under six minutes later. The Falcons cut the lead back to 10 on a few occasions late in the first half but the Hilltoppers were able to push their lead back to 16 (48-32) at the break.
Chase Morgan and
Nick Harney scored 30 of Fairmont's 32 points in the opening half as the Falcons shot just 10-of-28 (35.7%) from the floor. The Hilltoppers, on the other hand, shot 72.7 percent (16-of-22) in the opening half and nailed 6-of-9 from three.
West Liberty continued its hot-shooting from the opening half in the second half as the 'Toppers finished the game making 30-of-47 field goal attempts (63.8%). The Hilltoppers also drained nine three-pointers in the game.
Fairmont State (22-11) shot just 31.6 percent from the field and were out-rebounded 36-26 in the loss.
Harney led the Falcons with 21 points and eight rebounds, scoring 11-of-12 points from the free throw line. Morgan chipped in 19 points for FSU, draining five three-pointers. The Falcons had just five assists in the game.
WLU was led by Devin Hoehn with 25 points after going 9-of-12 from the floor. Seger Bonifant (17), CJ Hester (15) and Joe Lococo (11) also reached double figures for the 'Toppers. Hester was just one rebound shy of a double-double, recording nine in the game.
West Liberty will play Indiana (Pa.) in the Atlantic Regional Final on Tuesday at 7 p.m. as the Hilltoppers will be looking to advance to their fifth-straight NCAA Division II Elite Eight.
Â