Fairmont, W.Va. – West Virginia State delivered its most impressive performance of the season on Saturday, toppling No. 24 Fairmont State 74-66 at Joe Retton Arena. The Yellow Jackets handed the Falcons their first home loss of the year and pulled off a significant upset against the Mountain East Conference's top-ranked team. WVSU entered the contest 10th in the 11 team conference standings but never trailed after the opening quarter.

The victory improves West Virginia State's record to 10-11 overall and 6-9 in MEC play. Fairmont State, now 18-4 (12-3 MEC), remains in first place in the conference.

ZZ Russell led WVSU with 13 points and four rebounds. Emyah Fortenberry recorded seven points and a game-high 12 rebounds, while Latifat Olatunji added seven points, seven boards and six blocks. WVSU's defense was pivotal, forcing 17 Fairmont State turnovers and holding the Falcons to 33.9% shooting from the field, well below their 44% season average.

West Virginia State set the tone early with aggressive defense and timely shooting. The Yellow Jackets forced nine turnovers in the first period, capitalizing with 10 points off those mistakes. Latifat Olatunji's layup with 6:51 remaining sparked a 6-0 run that put WVSU ahead for good. The Yellow Jackets ended the quarter with a 17-13 lead.

WVSU dominated the second quarter, using an 8-0 run to build a 15-point lead—their largest of the game. Zakorrah Russell was a key contributor, scoring eight points in the period. The Yellow Jackets shot 60% from the floor while holding Fairmont State to 35.7% shooting. By halftime, WVSU held a commanding 41-26 advantage.

Fairmont State made a push in the third, outscoring WVSU 22-17 behind Jalen Gibbs' eight points. The Falcons cut the deficit to nine points, but Russell and Baylee Goins responded with timely baskets to keep the Yellow Jackets in control. Despite Fairmont's efforts, WVSU entered the final quarter ahead 58-48.

The Falcons trimmed the lead to six with under four minutes to play, but WVSU refused to fold. Leslie Huffman's free throws kept Fairmont within striking distance, but key defensive stops and late baskets by Russell and Olatunji sealed the victory for the Yellow Jackets.

WVSU will travel down to Bluefield State on Monday for a 5:30 p.m. tilt against the Big Blue.