FAIRMONT – 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:
- Anthony Crosby: 18 points, 4 rebounds, 2-4 3PT
- Alex Mirhosseini: 12 points, 5 rebounds, 2-2 3PT
- Michael Batchelor: 7 points, 4 rebounds
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.
Boxscore
