FAIRMONT, WV – The Fairmont State Falcons put together a dominant performance on their home court, dismantling West Virginia Wesleyan 96-66 at Joe Retton Arena. With the victory, Fairmont State improved to
23-4 overall (16-3 MEC), while the Bobcats fell to
5-22 (2-17 MEC) in conference play.
The Falcons wasted no time establishing control, jumping out to an early
8-0 lead behind the shooting of
Rudy Fitzgibbons III and
Sam Emich, who each connected from beyond the arc. Fairmont State's high-pressure defense forced early turnovers, leading to easy transition points.
Wesleyan fought back behind the scoring of
Anthony Crosby, who tallied 18 points on
6-of-10 shooting, but the Bobcats struggled with turnovers, committing
26 on the night, which fueled Fairmont State's
35 points off turnovers. By halftime, the Falcons held a commanding
41-26 lead, with
Tyheil Peterson knocking down key three-pointers to extend the margin.
Any hope of a Bobcat comeback was quickly erased in the second half. The Falcons came out firing, led by
Andre Harris, who finished with
19 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 steals.
David Jolinder added
14 points and 5 rebounds.
The Falcons' bench poured in
35 points, compared to just
20 for Wesleyan. The Bobcats shot a respectable
47.9% from the field, but the team could not keep pace with Fairmont's offensive efficiency, as the Falcons hit
47.1% from the floor and 35.3% from three.
Key Performers
- Fairmont State Falcons:
- Andre Harris: 19 points, 6 rebounds, 4 steals
- Tyheil Peterson: 17 points, 4-6 3PT
- David Jolinder: 14 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists
- Sam Emich: 13 points, 3-7 3PT
- West Virginia Wesleyan Bobcats:
By The Numbers
- Fairmont State forced 26 turnovers, scoring 35 points off those giveaways.
- The Falcons outscored Wesleyan 32-4 on fast breaks.
- Fairmont State outscored the Bobcats 40-28 inside.
The Bobcats close out its regular season at home against Davis & Elkins College on Saturday, March 1. It will be Senior Day in the Rockefeller Center. Tip time is 4 p.m.
