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West Virginia State University Athletics

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Photo: Todd Griffith
92
Winner Fairmont St. FairSt 6-0,3-0 MEC
89
West Virginia St. WVSt 3-3,1-2 MEC
Winner
Fairmont St. FairSt
6-0,3-0 MEC
92
Final
89
West Virginia St. WVSt
3-3,1-2 MEC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Fairmont St. FairSt 42 50 92
West Virginia St. WVSt 37 52 89

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Bryan Shepherd, Sports Information Director

WVSU's Late Rally Falls Short Against Unbeaten Fairmont State, 92-89

INSTITUTE, W.Va. — West Virginia State University mounted a furious second-half comeback but fell short against undefeated Fairmont State, 92-89, in a thrilling Mountain East Conference contest Wednesday night at the Walker Convocation Center.

WVSU (3-3, 1-2 MEC) stayed competitive early, trading baskets with the Falcons. Arthur Cox and Jae Slack provided scoring bursts to keep the Yellow Jackets within striking distance. However, Fairmont State (6-0, 3-0 MEC) closed the half strong, led by Rudy Fitzgibbons III's sharp shooting and David Jolinder's work in the paint. The Falcons entered the break with a 42-37 advantage, fueled by a 48% shooting effort.

The Yellow Jackets erupted offensively in the second half, outscoring Fairmont State 52-50. Slack took control, finishing with 24 points and six free throws, while Cox added 19 points on near-perfect shooting. Martinez contributed 14 points and five boards as WVSU chipped away at a double-digit deficit, cutting the lead to two points in the final seconds.

Fairmont, however, countered with clutch performances from Fitzgibbons, who tallied a game-high 25 points, and Jolinder, who notched a double-double with 23 points and 12 rebounds. Andre Harris added nine points and secured critical rebounds to fend off the Yellow Jackets.

With under a minute to play, Cox drilled a three-pointer to bring WVSU within two at 91-89. After Fairmont hit a free throw to extend its lead to three, the Yellow Jackets had a chance to tie, but their final three-point attempt rimmed out, sealing the Falcons' victory.

Slack led the team with 24 points, while Cox poured in 19 on 7-of-8 shooting. Martinez added 14 points and showcased hustle on both ends of the court. For Fairmont State, Fitzgibbons and Jolinder combined for 48 points, with Harris chipping in nine points and nine rebounds.

Prior to the game, Cox was honored for scoring his 1000th career point against Chowan on Nov. 18.

The Yellow Jackets will aim to bounce back on Saturday when they travel to Frostburg State for a 4:00 p.m. tip-off.

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