WEST LIBERTY, W. Va. – The Frostburg State men's basketball team dropped their Wednesday night road game against MEC-leading and eighth-ranked West Liberty 129-103
 
The Bobcats had their hands full against the top-10 Hilltoppers, as the game opened with reigning MEC player of the year Bryce Butler knocking down a three for WLU. FSU got on the board two minutes into the game when senior Agyei Edwards found junior big man Jason Murphy to make the score 5-2. After a scoring run from West Liberty, Murphy threw down a dunk for his second basket with the game now at 14-6 Hilltoppers. After quick ball movement to break the press, Agyei Edwards knocked down a three for his first bucket and a 26-12 score. Graduate Bo Schene pulled in a rebound off a WLU miss and hit Murphy running the floor for a layup to bring things to 42-20. With just under three minutes left in the half, graduate Vincent Smalls found a seam and flushed a dunk for his seventh point and cut the West Liberty lead to 19. The Bobcats would finish off the first half applying pressure but went into the locker room down 67-36.
 
Coming out of halftime, FSU would find a spark from Murphy with two dunks and six quick points. Graduate Justin Bailey knocked down a pull up jumper at the 16:30 mark to make the score 82-48 West Liberty. On back-to-back trips down the offensive end, junior Tairell Fletcher picked up assists to Murphy then Smalls for both to finish. The Hilltoppers would go over the 100-point mark at 11:59 left in the game, continuing to shoot the ball well from behind the arc with their 20^th of the game to push their lead to 107-72. Edwards joined Murphy, Smalls and Fletcher in the double-digit scoring category on a pair of free throws with the score at 122-80. Schene and junior Sean Brown, Jr. both had steals that they were able to score on with just over a minute remaining, then a Brown, Jr. three to go over the century, though the final score would be 129-103 West Liberty.

The 103 points are the most that the team has scored since putting up 104 against Glenville State on February 8, 2021. 
 
Murphy and Smalls both set season-highs with 26 points apiece on the night, as Murphy would also lead FSU in rebounds with 10, picking up a double-double. Edwards put in 14 points to go with six boards, a team-high four assists, and a pair of steals. 
 
With the loss, Frostburg moves to 5-10 on the season and the No. 8 Hilltoppers improve to 14-1, staying undefeated in conference play. The Bobcats return home Saturday, January 14 when they will tip off against Wheeling at 4 PM. For more information, please visit frostburgsports.com.