Box Score Wheeling, W.Va. – After defeating the West Liberty Hilltoppers on Wednesday afternoon, the Golden Eagles were set to face the #1 seeded Fairmont State Fighting Falcons in the quarterfinal rounds of the Mountain East Conference Tournament.
The Basics:
Location: WesBanco Arena
Score: UC 56, FSU 75
Records: UC 16-14 (10-10 MEC) Fairmont State 25-4 (17-3 MEC)
How it Happened:
The Falcons won the tip and scored the first two points of the game on a layup in the paint, then got the ball right back after a Charleston travel was called. The Golden Eagles picked up the defensive board but then gave Fairmont the ball right back on an out of bounds, allowing the Falcons to score their next basket of the first quarter, ahead 4-0. Kiley Graham put Charleston on the scoresheet with a three with 7:40 left in the quarter. About a minute later Paris Stokes found just her third three-pointer of the season to tie the score at 6-6. The media timeout was called at 4:37 with Fairmont leading 11-8.
Fairmont State then went on an 8-0 run, the Falcons ahead 19-11, their biggest lead of the quarter. Kiley Graham closed out the first quarter with a six-point run for Charleston, three made shots from the charity stripe and a buzzer beater three to end the quarter 19-17 in favor of Fairmont State.
The Golden Eagles opened the second quarter with a layup from Sydney Bolles to even the scoring at 19-19. The teams traded baskets but a few turnovers and missed free throws allowed the Falcons to pull away 31-24 with 3:57 left in the second quarter. Charleston found two late fouls in the quarter, being awarded trips to the line and cutting their deficit. The teams then traded threes to end the half, Fairmont State leading 36-31.
Kiley Graham once again got things started for Charleston with a shot from beyond the arc, Fairmont responding with back-to-back layups and a pair of free throws to bring the score to 42-34. The teams traded buckets, but the Falcons held a ten-point lead at the media timeout, 51-41 with 3:28 left in the quarter.
After the timeout, the Golden Eagles began to inch their way back, scoring seven consecutive points, picking up defensive boards, and forcing the Falcons to turn the ball over including Jamia Nesmith taking two charges late in the quarter. As the buzzer sounded to end the third, Charleston trailed 51-48 to the number one seeded Falcons.
Fairmont State scored the first two points of the fourth quarter and then forced a Charleston turnover before calling a timeout at 8:56. The teams then traded buckets, Fairmont still leading, 59-52 with 5:00 left to play as the media timeout was called. Charleston was on a 3:51 scoring drought, allowing the Falcons to begin to pull away, 64-52 as time was winding down, 3:37 left in the game.
After a hard-fought contest, the Golden Eagles fell to the Fighting Falcons 75-56, ending their season 16-14.
