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West Virginia State University Athletics

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MBB2324 Pittman
Photo: Sam Santilli
80
Fairmont St. FairSt 21-8,13-7 MEC
85
Winner West Virginia St. WVSt 20-8,14-6 MEC
Fairmont St. FairSt
21-8,13-7 MEC
80
Final
85
West Virginia St. WVSt
20-8,14-6 MEC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Fairmont St. FairSt 38 42 80
West Virginia St. WVSt 27 58 85

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | James Garcia, Sports Information Director

WVSU deploys second-half comeback to move past Fairmont and into the semifinals

WHEELING, W.Va. – For just the second time in MEC Tournament history, West Virginia State men's basketball (20-8, 14-6 MEC) will partake in the semifinals after avenging a loss to Fairmont State (21-8, 13-7 MEC) late in the regular season. The Yellow Jackets trailed by as much as 17 points in the second half of the quarterfinals clash before they came back to win the game by a final score of 85-80. WVSU will now have the opportunity to knock off No. 1 seed Charleston when the rivals meet in the semifinals at 6 p.m. tomorrow inside the WesBanco Arena.

Anthony Pittman registered his fourth double-double of the season by leading his team in both points (19) and rebounds (15). Kalil Camara posted 16 points, shooting 3-of-5 from three-point range. Miguel Martinez (13 points), Antonio Carter (13 points) and Nate Mims (12 points) also scored in double-figures to aid in the scoring effort.

The first half started off as a back-and-forth battle between the most evenly-matched teams of the quarterfinals. The lead changed hands seven times and the score was tied on six occasions before the eight-minute mark. The Falcons then gained momentum on the other side of the eight-minute mark with nine unanswered points in a three-minute span. West Virginia State was suddenly down by seven points, 26-19, with five minutes remaining in the opening half.

The deficit increased to double-digits around the three-minute mark after a 6-0 spurt by Fairmont left the Yellow Jackets trailing by 10 points, 34-24. The deficit grew to as much as 12 points with 1:10 remaining in the first half. Camara registered the only point in the last minute by making a single free throw to cut Fairmont's lead to 11 points, 38-27, at halftime.

WVSU shot 34 percent from the floor, 14 percent from three-point range and 60 percent from the free throw line in the first half. The Falcons shot at a much better rate from the field and the charity stripe, but were held to a 20 percent conversion rate from behind the arc.

Fairmont kept the momentum through the opening five minutes of the second half. The Falcons went on an 11-5 run to take a seemingly insurmountable 17-point advantage, 49-32. A three-pointer made by Camara during Fairmont's run kept the lead from growing to 20 points.

Knowing that the game was slipping away, West Virginia State responded with a 17-1 run to seize the momentum. A three-point play by Mims started the run. A block by Pittman that led to a layup in transition by Martinez followed. Martinez then rattled in a second-chance trey before Camara dropped in another triple. Six free throws were sunk by the Yellow Jackets at the end of the run to pull them back within a point, 50-49, around the 10-minute mark.

Over the next six minutes, the lead changed five times and the score was tied on four occasions. Mims tied the score for the last time at the four-minute mark with a three-point bucket. A nearly three-minute scoring drought for Fairmont then occurred. Meanwhile, Martinez and Mahzi Thames both banked layups before Carter knocked down a shot from behind the arc to put WVSU up by seven points, 80-73, with 1:23 left on the clock.

The Falcons pulled back within two points, 80-78, with 22 ticks remaining. Carter was fouled immediately after and made both of his free throw attempts to make it a two-possession game, 82-78. West Virginia State played smart in the closing seconds to hold onto the lead through the final buzzer.

For the first time in MEC Tournament history, both the men's and the women's basketball teams will play in the semifinals in the same year. Both squads will have the chance to make history by making the finals of the MEC Tournament for the first time in school history. Additionally, both teams entered the tournament ranked ninth in the NCAA Atlantic Region rankings. A deep run in the MEC Tournament may ensure a NCAA Tournament berth.
 
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