Brendan Cooper and his Fairmont State teammates will likely need to win out and hope for West Liberty to lose a third West Virginia Conference game to have a shot at the regular season league title. Flle photo by Kathy Coates
Brendan Cooper and his Fairmont State teammates will likely need to win out and hope for West Liberty to lose a third West Virginia Conference game to have a shot at the regular season league title. Flle photo by Kathy Coates
FAIRMONT — Fairmont State’s quest for the West Virginia Conference’s regular season men’s basketball title took a big hit Monday night when Wheeling Jesuit upset the Falcons, 70-65, at Joe Retton Arena.
While not out of the question still yet, the Falcons would likely have to win out and need league-leader West Liberty to lose a third league game to have a shot.
The NCAA Division II-No. 3 Hilltoppers — coached by Clarksburg native Jim Crutchfield — sit atop the WVIAC standings with a 154.38 power rating and are 15-1 in league play and 21-1 overall. Fairmont State is now 13-3 in league play and 15-5 overall and are No. 2 in the league standings with a 136.5 power rating, just ahead of No. 3 Alderson-Broaddus (13-5, 11-3), which shows a 131.43 power rating.
“Our overall goals are still out there for us, but we no longer control our own destiny as far as winning the league goes,” FSU coach Jerrod Calhoun said following Monday’s game with Wheeling Jesuit. “We’ve put ourselves in a position where we need some help.”
The Falcons will have a shot at the Hilltoppers in two Saturdays, when they host them at 4 p.m. West Liberty must also visit Alderson-Broaddus this Saturday in a 7:30 p.m. tilt at the Rex Pyles Arena.
Calhoun gave the Falcons Tuesday and today off as they ready for a trip to West Virginia State this Saturday.
The Falcons then come home for three-straight league games next week: Monday vs. Pitt Johnstown (13-8, 9-8); Thursday vs A-B and Saturday against West Liberty.
n FSU DUO HONORED: Fairmont State men’s player Isaac Thornton was named the league’s player of the week for h is play last week, while women’s standout Kaitlin Snyder earned yet another academic award.
Thornton, a 6-3, 184-pound senior, keyed FSU to wins against Charleston and West Virginia Weselyan last week.
In the win over Charleston, Thornton went 8-of-12 from the field and 2-for-2 from the charity stripe for 19 points. He also grabbed four rebounds and dished out three assists. In the win over West Virginia Wesleyan, Thornton tallied a team-high 22 points while collecting five rebounds and had a pair of steals.
Snyder, a 5-7 senior guard, has been named first team Capital One Academic All-District 2 honors in a vote conducted by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Snyder maintains a 3.39 grade-point average in nursing.
She currently leads the Falcons in scoring (17.3) and assists (4.1) and is second in rebounding (5.7).
n SIU WOMEN CLAIM WIN: Salem International women’s basketball coach Donita Adams thought her women’s team was getting better following a win against Ursuline two weeks ago.
After a pair of competitive losses on the road last week, the Tigers were back in the friendly confines of the T. Edward Davis gymnasium Monday and recorded a 60-41 win against Washington Adventist.
Freshman post player Porcha Davis led the way for the Tigers with 16 points and 11 rebounds, while Jessica Lagard and Carrie Moore added nine points apiece, with Moore connecting on a trio of 3-point goals.
Amanda Jackson added six points and six assists.
Sports writer Greg Talkington can be reached at 304-626-1444 or by email at etsports5@yahoo.com
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