BUCKHANNON, W.Va. — West Virginia State (5-10, 2-6 MEC) dropped a physical Mountain East Conference contest on Saturday afternoon, falling 97–91 to West Virginia Wesleyan (1-14, 1-8 MEC) inside the Rockefeller Center.

The game was defined by contact and trips to the foul line, as the teams combined for 49 personal fouls and 74 free-throw attempts. Each side shot 37 foul shots, with West Virginia State finishing 27-of-37 and Wesleyan going 30-of-37.

West Virginia State Yellow Jackets trailed 43–39 at halftime after a tightly played first half that featured three ties and two lead changes. The Yellow Jackets relied heavily on interior scoring, finishing with 50 points in the paint and 15 offensive rebounds.

Trey Harris led West Virginia State with 26 points and 11 rebounds, recording his second double-double of the season, and sixth consecutive game in double-digit scoring. Jaylen Subject added a career-high 21 points. Hassan Belkhaddar contributed 12 points, while Norris Bourne Jr. chipped in 13 points, primarily from the free-throw line.

The second half remained physical, with 17 fouls whistled against each team. West Virginia State stayed within one possession several times in the final minutes but was unable to overcome Wesleyan's perimeter shooting and late free throws.

Wesleyan connected on 13 three-pointers and held a 44–12 advantage in bench scoring to secure the six-point victory.

State will travel to West Liberty' s ASRC for their rescheduled December contest on Monday, Jan. 19. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.