There's a welcome rumbling around the Mountain State.
It started long ago in the northern part of the state, above Wheeling, above Oglebay Resort.
It started with coach Jim Crutchfield and his West Liberty Hilltoppers. If you're a sports fan in West Virginia, if you're reading this space, you already know of their success.
On Wednesday, the Hilltoppers visited the Civic Center - one of two temporary homes for the University of Charleston - and won 78-63 over the Golden Eagles despite an off night with their treys.
Yet the rumbling around the state is getting louder. Or at least it should be getting louder. Crowds should be getting a little larger for these Mountain East games.
And the reason is the talent of late.
Those at the Civic Center on Wednesday were witness to the known. The Hilltoppers entered the game ranked No. 1 among NCAA Division II teams, at least according to the National Association of Basketball Coaches.
We saw All-America senior wing Seger Bonifant, who entered the game averaging 27.1 points. He scored 28. Actually, it was the second time the Kanawha Valley has seen Seger and his Silver Bullet Band this week. The Hilltoppers crushed West Virginia State 127-88 on Monday in Institute.
All Bonifant did in that game was go 6 of 6 from beyond the 3-point arc and finish with 29 points. His team shot better than 60 percent (17 of 28) from beyond the arc that night. Seven players hit double figures. Many rested late.
Bonifant entered Wednesday's game leading the nation in 3-pointers and 3-point percentage (117 of 224, 52.2 percent), which is simply astounding. There's no wonder why the senior was the MEC's male athlete of the year last season.
Yet take a look around the league in regard to hoops. You know the conference had success last year because the Gazette-Mail named it our "Sportsman of the Year." But the subject here is strictly basketball.
This week, Institute and Charleston hosted the No. 1 Division II team. On Sunday and Tuesday the Kanawha Valley will host the No. 5 team in Fairmont State. The Falcons will hit UC on Sunday and Institute on Tuesday.
My question: Has that ever happened around the Valley? Four games involving Top 5 teams in a stretch of just over a week?
And here's the deal: Not only are there good D-II teams around the state, but good players within.
"Our league is getting stronger and stronger," said Crutchfield on Wednesday. "Go back to the cross-over week at the beginning of this season. We kind of dominated that the last two seasons. Now, that's not the case. I really believe we're one of the top conferences in the country.
"Fairmont is in the Top 5. Wheeling Jesuit could easily be in the Top 5. Yet any team in our conference could beat those teams. Look at Virginia-Wise. It knocked off the No. 14 team [King University] in the country last week. Top to bottom, these guys on the court are getting better and better every year."
I've already touched upon Bonifant. He's an incredible 3-point shooter. But West Liberty also features Devin Hoehn, who entered Wednesday's game averaging 16.4 points.
And look to that Fairmont team. Remember Shady Spring native Chase Connor, who played for WVU and Bob Huggins? Well, he's playing for the Falcons - and is the team's No. 4 scorer.
That by itself should tell you something about the talent level. Fairmont State's leading scorer, Matt Bingaya, is a transfer from Southern Miss. Yes, that Southern Miss. Conference USA's Southern Miss.
"He's incredible," said Crutchfield. "The talent level is as strong as it's ever been. I'd match up our conference with any in the country."
Bingaya is averaging 18 points, while Connor is averaging 10.5. And some will argue for West Virginia Wesleyan's Tanner McGrew (22.7 scoring average) as the best. Or Notre Dame College's Tyree Gaiter (23.6). UC's Tino DiTrapano was very impressive Wednesday night with 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Heck, State's Markee Mazyck entered Wednesday averaging 22.8 points.
Thus the stronger rumbling. West Liberty's ASRC arena was packed for the Hilltoppers' game with Fairmont, which went to the hosts 88-86. (We don't need no stinkin' Oklahoma-Kansas game, right?)
Jerrod Calhoun, a former Huggins assistant, has the Falcons flying. Crutchfield is continuing his amazing work.
The only thing missing from the party is a consistent contender from the Valley. But, again, there is rumbling. Puzzlingly, State tumbled and tumbled from such status to last season's 6-25 mark. Yet coach Bryan Poore has the new Walker Convocation Center in place. That should spark a quick turnaround.
And, of course, UC played at the Civic Center on Wednesday because construction is ongoing of the new Russell and Martha Wehrle Innovation Center. UC athletic director Bren Stevens said steel has arrived for the project and is set to begin going in next week. Coach Dwaine Osborne has his Golden Eagles trending up with 21 wins his first season and 19 last season.
So there are strong MEC players. There are strong MEC teams. There should be more strong MEC teams to come.
Let's now get ready to rumble.