EVANSVILLE, IN (WTRF)– It was not the happy ending West Liberty fans wanted but the Hilltoppers didn’t go down without a fight. 

The Nova Southeastern Sharks attacked the floor with their competitive play and kept the lead over the Hilltoppers for the entire matchup. 

Coach Ben Howlett says he is proud of how far his team has come and will use this feeling as a driving force for next season.  

You know we’re made for comebacks. We never quit and just made some really stupid plays throughout the game. Plays we typically don’t make and that’s frustrating but again, we lost in the national championship game. A lot of teams would kill to be here so, I’m happy that we got here. I’m not happy that we lost the game.

Ben Howlett, West Liberty Head Coach

It’s been a storybook season and a storybook ending to play in a championship game with these guys against the school that I worked at for almost thirty years and coached at. They gave me my start…I’m proud of him and I’m proud of the coaching staff, Coach Huffman and Coach Lamberti. I had been with those guys so long that I’m proud of what they did at West Liberty. When I left there, I always felt like the program was in really good hands.

Jim Crutchfield, Nova Southeastern Head Coach 

The Hilltoppers surely made history. 

West Liberty knocked down the most three pointers ever in a title game and it was the highest scoring division two national championship to date.