INSTITUTE, WV – The No. 2-ranked West Liberty University men’s basketball team broke open a tight game with an 11-0 run in the final four minutes Thursday night to hand upset-minded West Virginia State an 84-73 loss at Fleming Hall.
It was the 22nd straight win for Coach Jim Crutchfield’s Hilltoppers (24-1, 19-0) this season and the 59th consecutive West Virginia Conference win for the reigning WVIAC champions while the struggling Yellowjackets (12-11, 10-9) slipped even farther down the WVIAC standings with their fourth loss in the last six games.
There were 9 ties and 10 lead changes in the hard-fought contest as the teams were tied at halftime, 43-43, and traded the lead several times in the opening minutes of the second half.
Junior guard Tim Hausfeld finally put West Liberty ahead to stay with a pair of dazzling baskets.
The 5-7 sharpshooter snapped a 54-54 tie by taking a quick outlet pass off a West Virginia State miss and dribbling the length of the court to slip the go-ahead layup between a trio of taller Yellowjackets with 14 minutes to go.
Hausfeld grabbed a rebound off State’s next miss and speed-dribbled to the other end of the court only to pull up for a 28-foot bomb that hit nothing but nylon for a 59-54 Hilltopper lead with 13:30 on the clock.
West Liberty led the rest of the way but didn’t truly put the game on ice until it became a free throw shooting contest down the stretch.
The Hilltoppers – who lead the nation in free throw percentage – turned a 72-68 lead with four minutes remaining into an insurmountable 83-68 bulge with a minute to play by sinking 11-of-13 shots from the line to smother the hosts’ upset bid.
There were some anxious moments for West Liberty fans late in the game when Chris Morrow fell heavily to the court after a flagrant foul by State’s Robbie Lewis. Morrow remained on the court for several minutes while being treated by the Hilltopper training staff before being helped off the floor. He watched the final few seconds from the sidelines with ice packs on his right shoulder and left knee.
Falk led a typically balanced Hilltopper attack with 21 points while Morrow added 17 before leaving the game. Shawn Dyer had 16 points while Hausfeld finished with a dozen. C.J. Hester’s streak of double-doubles was halted but the stellar freshman still pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds to go along with 7 points.
Corey Bethea led West Virginia State with 21 points.
The Hilltoppers return home to host Glenville State on Saturday. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. at the ASRC.
GAME NOTES
X West Virginia State is the last WVIAC team to beat West Liberty in regular-season and post-season play. The Yellowjackets edged the Hilltoppers, 108-107, in the 2010 WVIAC tournament title game and posted the last regular-season win against West Liberty with a 117-116 overtime decision at Fleming Hall on Dec. 12, 2009
X The Hilltoppers have won 69 of their last 70 WVIAC regular-season games dating back to the 2008-09 season
X Thursday’s win was the 199th of Crutchfield’s coaching career. His 199-41 (.829) career record ranks No. 1 among all active NCAA Division II coaches
X The Hilltoppers are 97-3 under Crutchfield when holding their opponents under 80 points
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