BUCKHANNON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Wesleyan men's basketball team battled early but ultimately fell to Fairmont State, 101-71, Wednesday night inside the Rockefeller Center.
 
Fairmont State (23-4, 16-3 MEC) shot 59.3 percent from the floor and connected on 15-of-28 from three-point range to secure the Mountain East Conference victory. Wesleyan moves to 2-24 overall and 1-18 in league play.
 
The Bobcats struck first as Curtis Litton converted in the paint off a Lamont Jones assist to open the scoring. After Fairmont answered, Wesleyan regained momentum midway through the opening half.
 
Tristin Harkins provided a spark from beyond the arc, drilling a pair of three-pointers that helped the Bobcats erase an early deficit and briefly reclaim the lead at 17-14. Jerell Jean-Baptiste added a three-pointer of his own during a key stretch as Wesleyan kept pace in a back-and-forth contest that featured seven lead changes and two ties.
 
Fairmont State found its rhythm late in the half. A flurry of perimeter shots and points in transition allowed the Falcons to build separation. The visitors closed the opening period on a 15-5 run over the final four minutes, turning a tight contest into a 44-33 advantage at the break.
 
Despite the deficit, Wesleyan connected on seven first-half three-pointers and stayed within striking distance behind timely shooting and aggressive play on the defensive end.
 
Fairmont State opened the second half with a 8-2 run, fueled by second-chance opportunities and points in the paint. The Falcons outscored Wesleyan 57-38 in the final 20 minutes while continuing their hot shooting from both inside and beyond the arc.
 
Jerell Jean-Baptiste led Wesleyan with 15 points, including three three-pointers and a perfect 4-of-4 effort at the free-throw line. Tristin Harkins added 14 points on 4-of-5 shooting from beyond the arc while dishing out four assists. Curtis Litton finished with 11 points and six rebounds to pace the Bobcats on the glass
 
Wesleyan shot 43.3 percent from three-point range (13-of-30) but was limited to 39.1 percent overall from the field.
 
The Falcons shot 59.3 percent from the field and 53.6 percent from three-point range, placing five players in double figures and getting a game-high 18 points from Drey Carter to lead the way.
 
Wesleyan will close out the 2025-26 regular season this weekend as the Bobcats travel to Davis & Elkins College for a 4 p.m. tipoff.