#RSCgotw Men's Basketball: #11 WVU Tech at #12 IU East, Sat., Feb. 11 at 3 p.m. ET

2/10/2017 12:00:00 AM

RICHMOND, Ind. -- A game that goes into the NAIA national spotlight is this week's River States Conference Men's Basketball Game of the Week with No. 11 WVU Tech (20-6, 12-2 RSC) at No. 12 IU East (21-7, 12-3 RSC) on Saturday, Feb. 11 at 3 p.m. ET

The NAIA Division II Top 25 matchup between the Golden Bears and Red Wolves is also the NAIA Network Division II Men's Basketball Game of the Week presented by Stretch Internet. That puts our RSC Game of the Week into focus on the national level.

Watch Live on Stretch Internet with the Red Wolves Sports Network providing live video. Follow live stats on Dakstats. Links to live video and stats are above. Follow the RSC Game of the Week on Twitter with hashtag #RSCgotw and @RiverStatesConf and @RSCScores.

The following is a game preview courtesy of IU East Sports Information:

SERIES HISTORY

IU East is 2-1 against WVU Tech since joining the NAIA. The Red Wolves swept the season series last year. The Golden Bears won the teams' first meeting this year, 85-81 in West Virginia on Dec. 17. Nate Niehoff had 16 points for IU East. Ryan Atkins scored 32 points for WVU Tech.

IU EAST STORYLINES

• IU East is coming off of a 78-70 double-overtime win at the University of Rio Grande on Feb. 7. Kyle Pipenger made two free throws with 10 seconds left in the first overtime to keep the Red Wolves in the game, and then scored the first seven points of the second overtime to put IU East ahead to stay. Pipenger finished with a team-high 17 points.

• This game has significant implications in the River States Conference East Division standings. If WVU Tech wins, the Golden Bears will clinch the East Division title. If IU East wins, the Red Wolves will control their own destiny in the East Division race entering the last week of the regular season.

• This is the last regular season home game of the year for IU East. The Red Wolves are 12-0 this season on their new home court.

• This is IU East's seventh game this season against a Top 25 opponent. The Red Wolves are 3-3 against ranked opponents so far this season.

WVU TECH STORYLINES

* WVU Tech (20-6, 12-2) had won 11 in a row before a 69-64 setback at Ohio Christian on Feb. 7.

* WVU Tech has moved up to No. 11 in the NAIA Division II Men's Basketball Coaches Poll, the best current national ranking for any River States Conference team.

* The Golden Bears are one of the top rebounding teams in the nation. WVU Tech is third in the nation in both offensive rebounds per game and rebound margin.

* Ryan Atkins leads WVU Tech in scoring at 20.9 ppg, which ranks third in the RSC. Elisha Boone is the rebounding leader at 7.9 rpg and also scores 14.9 ppg.

WHAT'S AT STAKE

Saturday's RSC Game of the Week will be crucial in determining the winner of the RSC East Division. A victory by WVU Tech would give it a lead over IU East of 1.5 games with two games to play. It would also mean a 2-0 season sweep of the Red Wolves, itself worth a game in the standings there.

For IU East, a victory would have them pass the Golden Bears in the win column and stay even in the loss column with just one game to go. It would also keep the Red Wolves with a chance to match WVU Tech for the best record in the division should the Golden Bears go on to win their final two games after Saturday.

Finally, Saturday's winner will have the best chance within the division to claim the RSC regular-season championship, which comes with an automatic bid to the NAIA Division II National Championship.The RSC East winner will need to beat out RSC West leader IU Southeast (13-2 RSC) for that.