(Game recaps by Duane Cochran for MountainEast.org and FSU Sports Information)

Women’s MEC Tournament final: No. 1 Fairmont State 79, No. 6 Glenville State 65

Twice is nice.

Top-seeded and 19th-ranked Fairmont State overcame a seven-point deficit midway through the third quarter and rolled to its second consecutive Mountain East Conference Women’s Basketball Tournament championship with a 79-65 victory against sixth-seeded Glenville State here Sunday afternoon at WesBanco Arena.

“We’re certainly going to enjoy this for 24 hours because to accomplish something like we have the past two years means the world to me,” said FSU coach Stephanie Anderson, who is now 54-10 the past two seasons and has claimed back-to-back regular season and MEC Tournament titles. “This really means the world to me. I couldn’t accomplish anything without my staff and players, who buy into what we say.

“The fact that they’ve stuck with us, stayed loyal and stayed true, especially in the culture of the transfer portal, is so special. These players and coaches are my family. I’m truly blessed.”

The title marks the first time that Fairmont State’s women have won back-to-back conference tournament championships. The Falcons are also only the fourth women’s team in league history to win repeat titles and the first since the University of Charleston in 2021-22.

The win was the ninth in a row for Fairmont State and its 19th in the last 20 games. It also improved FSU to 27-4 and earns the Falcons the MEC’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division II East Regional which will begin play next Friday.

Like it did in Saturday’s semifinals, Glenville State endured a rough start, but regrouped and used tenacious defense and a late 6-0 spurt to take a 36-33 lead into the halftime locker room. In the third quarter the Pioneers continued to turn FSU over and eventually the advantage ballooned to seven at 45-38 with 6:52 to play.

“I’m very proud of my team,” GSU coach Emily Stoller said. “We came in here as the sixth seed and not really knowing what to expect going into the weekend and to finish second, it’s an accomplishment.

“Hats off to Fairmont State. They’re a great team, which has lots of team chemistry. They’ve played a lot of basketball together. They’re coached very, very well too. We knew it was going to be tough to win.”

With its back against the wall down seven in the third quarter, Fairmont State’s veteran leadership kicked in. Alyssa DeAngelo drained back-to-back 3-pointers to ignite what would become a 30-8 run for the Falcons over the course of the next 10 minutes. That outburst took FSU from a 45-38 deficit to a 68-53 lead with 6:51 to play. After that the Pioneers, who finished the year at 19-12, never got any closer than 10 the rest of the way.

“It’s all about experience,” said DeAngelo, who scored 11 of her game-high 21 points in the final 6:52 of the third quarter. “I was relying on my habits in that moment. If this was two years ago, I can almost guarantee you it would have been a different outcome.

“We played Glenville two years ago, they started turning us over, and we weren’t able to handle it or get back into it. Today we leaned on what we do every day and our experience made a difference.”

Fairmont State also received 20 points, nine rebounds, and four steals from Leslie Huffman, who was named the MEC Tournament Most Valuable Player, and 13 points and a game-high 14 rebounds from Jalen Gibbs.

Huffman scored 15 of her 20 points in the final two quarters, including nine in the game-changing third. She also received the award for having the tournament’s highest scoring average.

Huffman was joined on the all-tournament team by DeAngelo and Huffman’s sister, Madeline Huffman, who finished with five points and a game-high seven assists in the title game. FSU’s Aaliyah Brunny received the Commissioner’s Heart and Hustle Award.

“It obviously means a lot to me,” said Leslie Huffman, who averaged 19.3 points and 8.0 rebounds in Fairmont’s three tournament wins. “For anyone to get that kind of honor in this type of environment is amazing.

“Honestly, I wish there were five or even 10 players who could get this award. There’s a lot of unsung heroes when you win a tournament. I was really proud of the recognition we were able to get for our team with Madeline and Alyssa on the all-tournament team with me and Aaliyah getting the Heart and Hustle Award. I’m surrounded by really great kids.

“I watch other teams here at this tournament and I can appreciate the work, hustle and talent it took to get them here. I’m very grateful I was on the team that came out on the winning end of things.”

Glenville was led Sunday Tynasia Bunting and Dream Cherry, who both had 17 points. Bunting also had a team-high nine boards. GSU also got 13 points and eight rebounds from Jade Salters.

Bunting and the Pioneers’ Nwando Okigbo were also selected to the all-tournament squad. Rounding out the all-tournament team were Concord’s Skylar Davidson, Frostburg State’s Alanna Tate and West Virginia State’s Baylee Goins.

FSU is the No. 5 seed in the Atlantic Regional Tournament, hosted by No. 1 seed Edinboro. The Falcons will face No. 4 Indiana, Pa. in the regional quarterfinals.

Men’s MEC Tournament Final: No. 2 Fairmont State 122, No. 1 West Liberty 114 (3OT)

The 11th-ranked Fairmont State University men’s basketball team matched up against the 5th-ranked West Liberty Hilltoppers for the Mountain East Conference crown. After battling through three overtimes, the Falcons upset the Hilltoppers to claim the title, 122-114.

“What a great win, so proud of the guys, coaches, school and town,” head coach Tim Koenig said after the game. “Just so happy for these guys.”

Rudy Fitzgibbons was named the Tournament MVP as he led the team with 26 points, five boards, three assists and two steals. Sam Emich added 24 points with nine rebounds while Tyheil Peterson dropped in 20 points off the bench. Tommy Williams finished the game with a double-double as he scored 11 points with 14 rebounds.

West Liberty (27-4) opened the scoring before Fairmont State (27-4) went on an 8-0 run including threes from Rudy Fitzgibbonsand Sam Emich. The two teams went back-and-forth for the next few possessions but the Falcons geared up the offense once more. The team used a 12-2 run to open a 13-point lead (20-7) with 11:32 left in the first half.

The Hilltoppers had an answer as they scored the next eight points. Just as advertised, the two heavyweight programs traded baskets up and down the floor. As time was winding down in the first half, West Liberty it a three to take a 44-42 lead. Peterson made a late free throw to make it a 44-43 contest going to the second half.

In the second half, Fairmont State went back in front thanks to a couple of free throws from Emich. The chess match continued as each side matched the others until the Hilltoppers scored 10-straight points to lead 59-51 with 15:49 left in regulation. A three by Tommy Williams followed by a fastbreak layup from CJ Little made it a three-point game.

However, West Liberty used another run, 11-3 this time, to hold a double-digit advantage (70-59) as the clock read 11:48. The Falcons slowed closed the gap and after a Fitzgibbons free throw, only trailed 75-72. The Hilltoppers swiftly made it a seven-point game once more but Fairmont State was not done. Thanks to a 10-2 run with a couple of threes by Peterson and Fitzgibbons, FSU claimed an 82-81 edge.

West Liberty followed with a three but Fitzgibbons laid one in to tie the game at 84. Once again, the Hilltoppers went back in front with two free throws as the Falcons had one possession to tie the game. During the play, Fitzgibbons missed a layup but Andre Harris followed the shot and made the putback to send the game to overtime tied at 86.

The first overtime started slow with neither side being able to make a field goal until West Liberty broke the ice with a layup. As both teams warmed up, the lead kept jockeying between the two. Once again, Fairmont State was down to its final possession but just like the end of regulation, Fitzgibbons wasn’t able to get the layup to go but Harris followed it with the tip-in to tie the game at 95 and force another overtime.

Unlike the first overtime, Fitzgibbons hit a three in the opening seconds. However, the Hilltoppers responded with the next five points to go ahead 100-98. The two sides traded shot for shot until with 13 seconds left, Harris once again followed a Fitzgibbons layup to corrall the rebound and score the tying basket.

In the third overtime, it was Emich who hit the early three for FSU. West Liberty pulled within one but a three by Fitzgibbons gave the Falcons a 110-106 lead with 3:24 on the clock. The Hilltoppers were able to work the difference to just one but down the stretch, Fairmont was a perfect 6-6 from the free throw line to hold the advantage. As 14 seconds remained on the clock, Peterson stole the ball and laid in the final basket to clinch the championship victory, 122-114.

The Falcons won the battle of the boards by 18 (57-39) and scored 21 second chance points. The team finished the evening shooting 54.3-percent from the field (44-81) and 57.1-percent from distance (16-28).

“We just wanted to give ourselves a chance to win,” Rudy Fitzgibbons mentioned. “We trusted everyone and the work we put in all year, we were ready for this.”

“As the overtimes went, I just kept reminding myself to lock in,” Sam Emich added. “I think everyone had that same mindset. Crazy roller coaster of emotions at the end but glad we finished on top.”

West Liberty earned hosting rights and the No. 1 seed in the Atlantic Regional tournament.