The WVSU basketball teams tip-off the new year this week with home contests on Tuesday and Thursday against nationally ranked northern Mountain East Conference rivals West Liberty and Wheeling Jesuit.

        Freshmen Ernest Jenkins and Jayson Hankins lead the Yellow Jacket men (5-5 overall, 2-2 in MEC) in scoring with averages of 19.2 and 14.4 respectively. Sophomore Brent Bauer contributes 14.3 points and 5.2 assists a contest.    

        Jenkins leads the MEC in 3-point shooting percentage hitting 48.6 percent from beyond the arc and in 3-pointers made per game with 4.0, good for 10th nationally.

        The men defeated visiting Washington Adventist 91-75 back on December 19th in their last action.

         The WVSU women (5-5, 3-1) are third nationally in scoring putting up an average of 93.4 points per game and second in 3-pointers made per game with an average of 12.5.

         Junior Shae Hines leads the way averaging 15.1 points and a league leading 6.1 assists per game.

         A quartet of fellow Jackets also average in double-figures. Juniors Jasmine Davis and Tatyana Reynolds at 13.0, senior Shealyn Shafer 12.3, and freshman Sydney Bates 11.9.

         The women won 92-55 at Bluefield State on December 17 before starting their holiday break.

         Here is a quick look at this week's opponents --

        -- Tuesday the Hilltoppers visit Walker Convocation Center with the women's contest starting at 5:30 p.m. followed by the men at 7:30.

        The West Liberty men's squad comes into the game ranked fourth in Division II with a 9-1 overall record and 3-1 MEC mark. The women are 2-8 overall and 1-3 in conference play.

         The Hilltopper men are leading the conference and third nationally in scoring with an average of 97.2 points a game and have beaten opponents by an average of 23.1 points so far.

         Junior McKenna Shives is averaging 13.3 points per game to pace the Hilltopper women.

         -- Thursday the Cardinals come to town with games again starting at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m.

          The men's team is currently 9-1 with a 3-1 league record and ranked 10th in the country.

           Sophomore Monica Burns leads the Wheeling Jesuit women with a scoring average of 14.4.

           The women's contest features a match-up of the Jackets high scoring offense and a Cardinal defense that allows just 60.2 points a game to lead the conference in that category. The Cardinals also pace the MEC in field goal shooting hitting 44.4 percent from the floor and in defensive rebounding.

             ** Sunday both WVSU squads play at Shepherd with the women tipping off at 2 p.m. and teh men at 4 p.m.