The Malone University men's and women's basketball teams will play one final contest each in 2019 as a part of the annual "Christmas at Malone" games at Osborne Hall this Friday, December 20; where lights will be hung on the scorer's table with care. First, the Pioneer women host West Liberty University at 1 pm, followed by the men's team facing Waynesburg University at 3 pm.
 
Follow Along:
Malone WBB vs West Liberty
Friday, December 20 at 1 pm
Live Video/Stats: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/malone/
 
Malone MBB vs Waynesburg
Friday, December 20 at 3 pm
Live Video/Stats: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/malone/
 
Series History:
The Malone women are 5-2 all-time versus the Hilltoppers of West Liberty.
 
On the men's side, Malone holds a 5-3 record against Waynesburg. The last matchup between the teams took place on November 26, 2013, when Malone won a home game 92-70.
 
Malone Women's Basketball Team Notes: Schedule | Roster | Statistics
Record: 7-3
 
The Pioneers enter Friday's game having won their previous five games. Malone was on the road for their last four contests, including three Great Midwest Athletic Conference games. Fans have not seen the Pioneers play at home in nearly a month and are 2-1 at Osborne Hall this season.
 
As a team defensively, Malone gives up the second-least amount of points per game in the G-MAC (64.1). The Pioneers are ranked 6th in NCAA Division II in free throw percentage at 80.7%.
 
Over the five game winning streak, Holly Groff has led the Pioneers in scoring, averaging 18.4 points per game. Groff has upped her scoring average primarily by shooting well from deep. She has hit 17 shots from behind the arc in the last five games.
 
Robin Campbell has also had a huge impact on the game for the Pioneers. She is the team's leading scorer on the season at 15.2 points per game, has collected a team high 14 offensive rebounds, and has gotten to the free throw line almost twice as much as Ellen Doyle, who goes to the line second-most frequently on the Pioneers roster.
 
Doyle, Alexis Hutchison and Sydney Wentling make up the rest of the Pioneers' starting five. Each of them average over 22 minutes per game. Doyle scored 11 points in an overtime 69-61 victory over Ohio Dominican last weekend. In the same game, Hutchison recorded a career-high seven steals, the most in a single game since 2012 for the Malone women. Wentling had 13 points and six rebounds versus Tiffin on Monday and scored nine points while dishing out five assists against Ohio Dominican.
 
Off the bench, freshman Emma Kallas led non-starters in scoring in both G-MAC games last weekend. She scored nine points against Tiffin, while going a perfect 3-for-3 from the field and 3-for-3 from the free throw line. She also had six points on 3-for-4 shooting versus Ohio Dominican.
 
West Liberty Team Notes: Schedule | Roster | Statistics
Record: 5-6
 
The Hilltoppers have dropped three consecutive contests heading into Friday's game at Osborne Hall. Most recently, West Liberty lost to G-MAC opponent Walsh in a game played at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on Wednesday with a final score of 96-74. Taylor Johnson and Corrine Thomas each had 13 points to lead the scoring for the Hilltoppers.
 
West Liberty likes to play up-tempo, so their scoring offense is high at 78.8, but the Hilltopper defense gives up an average of 78.7 points per game, which is one of the highest in NCAA Division II. The match-up between the West Liberty offense and Malone defense will be fun to watch to see who can control the pace of play.
 
Morgan Brunner leads the Hilltoppers in scoring with an average of 20.3 points per game. Brunner is an NCAA Division I transfer from Youngstown State. Brunner is West Liberty's primary threat from beyond the arc. She is shooting 36.9% from 3-point land (45-of-122). She also takes full advantage of opportunities from the free throw line, making 44-of-46 attempts (95.7%).
 
Taylor Johnson and Olivia Belknap join Brunner as players who average double-digit scoring. Johnson puts up 16.5 points per game and Belknap collects 10.6 points per game. They have the second and third most shot attempts from three.
 
Audry Tingle and Jaclyn Kitts complete the five starters for West Liberty. Tingle averages 8.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.3 steals per game, the team leader in all categories. Kitts is tied for the team lead in blocked shots with five this season.
 
Off the bench, Corrine Thomas and Grace Fodor each receive an average of 19 minutes. Thomas scores 7.1 points per game and Fodor scores 5.0 points per game, while being an excellent offensive rebounder.
 
Malone Men's Basketball Team Notes: Schedule | Roster | Statistics
Record: 7-5
 
After dropping their first conference game to Cedarville, the Pioneers picked up two key road wins against Ohio Dominican and Tiffin last weekend. Malone has been victorious in five of its last six games.
 
The Pioneers have rebounded the basketball well this season. They are 18th in NCAA Division II in total rebounds. Malone is not giving up many free points at the charity stripe, and rank 8th in the nation in personal fouls per game (13.3).
 
Jaret Majestic and Marcus Ernst each put up career marks in scoring against the Tiffin Dragons on Monday night. Majestic netted 26 total points and connected on five three-point shots. He is ranked fourth in the nation in three-point shot attempts with 99. Ernst started the game at Tiffin 12-for-12 from the field and finished with 25 points and six rebounds. He ranks 19th among NCAA Division II men's basketball players in total rebounds with 102 on the season.
 
Daylan Haynie has been an ironman for Malone this season. With over 413 minutes on the court this season, he ranks 10th in NCAA Division II. Haynie has scored in double figures in three consecutive games for only the second time in his career in his last three contests.
 
Sehill Mouliom and Eli Ramsey are the final two pieces of the starting line-up. Mouliom had a field goal percentage above 50% in six of the last seven games, including a 5-for-8 day against Tiffin. Ramsey exploded for a career-high 17 points in last week's game against Ohio Dominican.
 
Kenneth McCullough-Lomax Jr. came off the bench in Monday's game versus Tiffin and scored 11 points, the second time he reached double-digit scoring this season.
 
Waynesburg Team Notes: Schedule | Roster | Statistics
Record: 0-10
 
The Yellow Jackets have not had an ideal start to the 2019 season thus far. Waynesburg University is located in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, about 30 minutes north of Morgantown, West Virginia. The Yellow Jackets compete in the Presidents' Athletic Conference in NCAA Division III. On Wednesday, Waynesburg lost to Muskingum 95-48.
 
On average, Waynesburg scores 55.9 points per game, which is lowest in NCAA Division III. At 76%, the Yellow Jackets have the highest percentage at the line in the PAC.
 
Isaiah Alonzo leads the team in a variety of statistical categories, including points (14.8), rebounds (5.7), free throw percentage (86%) and steals (1.2). Alonzo was the individual leading scorer in six of the team's 10 games this season.
 
Brennan Smith, Frank Bozicevic and Cam Auld have started all 10 games for the Yellow Jackets in 2019. Smith leads the team in assists with 1.8 per game, and has the highest 3-point percentage on the team at 45.2% (14-for-31). Bozicevic scores 8.7 points per game and has also collected 12 steals. Auld shoots 52.6% from the field.
 
The fifth starting spot has rotated between Ryan Felberg and Sam Heeter. Against Muskingum, Felberg picked up the start and scored eight points, connecting on two shots from distance. Heeter averages 21.8 minutes per game.