The Fairmont State University basketball teams are having a great start to the season, with both the men’s and women’s teams showing their skills and determination on the court.
The Fairmont State women’s basketball team recently wrapped up its stay in Pennsylvania with a hard-fought victory against Lock Haven University, winning 78-70. The Falcons showed grit by outscoring the Bald Eagles by 11 points in the fourth quarter, turning the momentum in their favor after trailing for much of the game.
At the start, Lock Haven took charge and quickly led 7-0. The Falcons had a tough time catching up and finished the first quarter behind 22-14. However, in the second quarter, Jalen Gibbs and Leslie Huffman stepped up, scoring 16 of the team’s 18 points. Because of their strong performance, Fairmont State closed the gap and went into halftime only three points behind, with the score at 35-32.
The game remained closely contested in the third quarter. Lock Haven briefly pulled ahead by 12 points, but the Falcons responded with a 12-0 run, highlighted by eight points from Leila Jones, tying the game at 50 before entering the final quarter down 56-53.
In the final period, the Falcons took charge with a 12-0 run, capped by a fastbreak layup from Aaliyah Brunny that put them ahead 65-58. Although Lock Haven attempted to rally back, the Falcons held on for the victory, thanks in part to Leslie Huffman’s perfect free-throw shooting in the closing minutes. Fairmont State shot an impressive 55.6% from the field and capitalized on turnovers, outscoring Lock Haven 22-8 in that department. Gibbs’ standout performance earned her a spot on the All-Tournament team.
With this victory, the women’s team improved to a record of 1-1 and looked to continue their momentum as they headed to Ohio to face Ursuline College on November 14.
Meanwhile, the Fairmont State men’s basketball team kicked off their season with a resounding win against Bloomsburg University at the Joe Retton Classic, defeating the Huskies 100-84. The Falcons displayed a well-rounded offensive attack, with nine different players contributing to the score sheet.
David Jolinder and Andre Harris led the charge with 19 points each, while Harris also recorded a double-double with 11 rebounds. Tyheil Peterson added significant bench support, contributing 18 points to the Falcons’ total.
The game began with both teams trading points. After falling behind, Fairmont State came back and took the lead with some great plays, including a big dunk from Taj Thweatt. The Falcons held onto their lead and finished the first half ahead by just one point, 49-48, which set up an exciting second half. In the last part of the game, both teams kept scoring until the score was tied at 69 with a little over ten minutes left. Fairmont State then took the lead with a key 7-0 run, finished by a threepointer from Rudy Fitzgibbons. Even though Bloomsburg tried to come back, the Falcons won the game with a strong 13-0 run, including a steal and dunk by Jolinder.
The men’s team now holds a record of 1-0 and is set to continue its tournament play against Edinboro University on November 9.
Both the Fairmont State men’s and women’s basketball teams are playing really well early in the season, getting fans excited and showing a lot of promise for the year ahead. With talented players and good teamwork, both teams hope to keep winning and make a strong impact as the season goes on.
