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(INDIANA, PA)---No. 10 West Liberty will shoot for the program's first trip to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight when the Toppers battle No. 2 Indiana (PA) in the Atlantic Regional championship contest.
The two-loss squads are the region's top seeds. Top-seed IUP slipped past Fairmont State 71-67 and used a late run to oust West Virginia State 91-76. Second-seeded West Liberty eliminated Alderson-Broaddus 79-66 and Saint Augustine's 90-83.
The 7:00 p.m. features a contrast in styles. IUP, which is 17-0 at home this season, holds opponents to 64 points per game and outrebounds foes by over eight boards per outing. West Liberty is one of Division II's most-efficient attacks. The Toppers light up the scoreboard to the tune of 101.9 points per game and have made 391 three-pointers this season.
Both teams are guided by their league's respective Coach of the Year honorees. West Liberty's Jim Crutchfield earned WVIAC coaching accolades for the second time after guiding the Toppers to their first regular season crown since 1961. IUP's Joe Lombardi grabbed the PSAC Western Division Coach of the Year as he turned a 6-21 squad into one of the nation's top squads in only four seasons.
West Liberty (29-2)
Starters:
G-#12 Corey Pelle (5-11, Jr., 17.5 ppg, 5.1 apg, 3.4 rpg)
G-#33 Mike Mathey (6-2, Sr., 15.9 ppg, 6.4 apg, 6.0 rpg)
G-#24 Barry Shetzer (6-4, Jr., 15.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg)
F-#32 John Wolosinczuk (6-7, Jr., 13.7 ppg, 7.6 rpg)
F-#11 Jordan Fortney (6-5, Jr., 12.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg)
Key Reserves:
F-Scott Mirich (6-5, Sr., 11.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg)
G-Zack Craig (6-5, Soph., 6.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg)
F-Alex Falk (6-3, Fr., 5.9 ppg, 2.2 rpg)
Indiana, PA (30-2)
Starters:
G-#22 Thomas Young (6-3, Sr., 17.0 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 3.2 apg)
F-#24 Akida McLain (6-9, Sr., 15.0 ppg, 7.6 rpg)
F-#15 Darryl Webb (6-7, Jr., 15.0 ppg, 10.1 rpg)
G-#30 Ashton Smith (6-2, Soph., 9.2 ppg, 4.3 apg, 3.9 rpg)
G-#3 Kevin Stewart (5-11, Jr., 4.9 ppg, 3.3 apg)
Key Reserves:
G-#13 Julian Sanders (6-3, Soph., 10.0 ppg, 2.8 rpg)
C-#44 Willi Estrella (6-7, Jr., 5.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg)
G-#32 Scooter Renkin (6-3, Soph., 2.5 ppg, 2.0 apg)