FAIRMONT, W.Va. — West Virginia State University (10-11, 7-8 MEC) fell short in a hard-fought contest against No. 12 Fairmont State (19-3, 13-2 MEC), 92-88, on Saturday at Joe Retton Arena. Despite trailing for much of the game, WVSU made a late push that brought them within striking distance in the final minutes.

Jae Slack led WVSU with 23 points, shooting 9-of-16 from the field. Arthur Cox added 19 points and six rebounds, including a perfect 9-of-10 from the free-throw line. Miguel Martinez chipped in 13 points and four rebounds.

For Fairmont State, Andre Harris, Taj Thweatt, and David Jolinder each scored 17 points. The Falcons out-rebounded WVSU 33-28 and converted 21-of-29 free throws compared to WVSU's 30-of-36.

Fairmont State took control early, opening with a 7-0 run. Taj Thweatt sparked the Falcons with seven early points, while David Jolinder added six points in the first five minutes. WVSU responded with a strong offensive effort from Jae Slack and Arthur Cox, cutting the deficit to 14-10 at the 13:15 mark.

Miguel Martinez's three-pointer at 11:49 gave WVSU its first lead of the game at 15-14. The lead changed hands twice over the next three minutes as both teams traded baskets. Fairmont regained the lead on a layup by Andre Harris with 7:52 remaining in the half and extended their advantage to 10 points following a three-pointer from Jolinder.

WVSU closed the gap in the final minutes, led by Cox and Slack. Slack's fast-break layup with 1:32 remaining brought WVSU within five. Fairmont entered halftime with a 42-37 lead.

WVSU came out aggressive to start the second half, with Cox and Slack combining for an 8-2 run to take a 50-49 lead at the 16:46 mark. Fairmont responded with a three-pointer from Tommy Williams to retake the lead. The game remained close throughout the second half, featuring six lead changes and 11 ties.

Slack led the way for WVSU with 17 second-half points, including several key baskets that kept the Yellow Jackets within striking distance. Cox added 11 points after the break, consistently attacking the paint and converting at the free-throw line.

Fairmont pulled ahead late in the game, relying on Harris and Jolinder to create separation. WVSU trailed by one with 1:39 remaining, but Fairmont's Sam Emich scored a crucial second-chance basket to push the lead to 90-88 with three seconds left. Rudy Fitzgibbons III sealed the victory for the Falcons with two free throws.

WVSU will look to bounce back in their next game against conference newcomer Point Park on Wednesday, Feb. 12 in the Walker Convocation Center at 7:30 p.m.