Box Score
FAIRMONT, W.Va. -- On an afternoon where the shots just wouldn't fall for the Falcons, they were able to make things interesting and stayed well within striking distance of Fairmont State, but ultimately fell, 78-74 on Saturday afternoon.

For the Falcons (9-13, 7-9 MEC) the loss was their second in a row, and their ninth in 11 road games, while for Fairmont State (15-6, 10-5) the victory was their fourth in a row, and gives them five in their last six games.

Both sides had trouble shooting early on.  The first basket didn't come until the ninth shot of the game, just two minutes into the contest.  Over the first five minutes, the Falcons shot 25.0-percent (2-for-8) while Fairmont State didn't fare much better, shooting 36.3-percent (4-for-11) from the floor.

The shooting woes continued through the halfway point of the opening half, as the Falcons shot just 5-for-21 (21.8-percent) while FSU hit on 40.0-percent  (6) of their 15 shots, and there were no 3-pointers made until Kalomo Figueroa-Jackson connected from long distance at the 9:46 mark to bring NDC within two (18-16). 

The shooting would improve through the remainder of the half for NDC, as they would hit on 44.4-percent (5) of their next nine shots, and eventually took a four point lead (34-30) on Patrick Koenig's 3-pointer with two minutes left in the half.

While NDC's shooting percentage increased, they were able to clamp down defensively as well, and in the final seven and a half minutes of the first half, they limited FSU to just a pair of makes from the field, as they shot just 18.1-percent (2-for-11) during that stretch as the Falcons took a slight, 34-32 lead into halftime. 

While neither side shot the ball very well, with NDC shooting 28.1-percent (9-for-32) from the floor, and FSU hitting 35.5-percent (11-for-31) of their shots from the floor, the Falcons made the difference at the free throw line, where they were a perfect, 14-for-14 in the first half.

The struggles from the floor continued for Notre Dame in the second half.  The pattern didn't change much through the first 11 minutes of the second stanza, as the Falcons shot just 17.6-percent (3-for-17) from  the floor, but their ability to make their free throws during that stretch (7-for-8) kept them within striking distance, as they only trailed by only two (50-48). 

Fairmont State's lead grew to eight (60-52) over the following two minutes, which was their largest of the evening, until Notre Dame came battling back, and found their stroke again.  The Falcons made five of their next eight shots, and capped a 9-2 run over a three minute stretch, highlighted by Tyree Gaiter's old fashioned 3-point play to bring them within one (62-61) with 4:34 remaining.

The game remained close the rest of the way.  After Lawrence DeArmond's layup with 2:15 to play, the Falcons trailed, 68-67, before Fairmont State put the game away with a 7-1 run over the following 75-seconds. 

The shots just wouldn't fall for the Falcons on the night, as they shot just 30.9-percent (20-for-68) on the afternoon, but shot 87.1-percent (27-for-31) from the free throw line. 

Four Falcons scored in double figures, and DeArmond led the way with 21 points, giving him 14 games with 20 points or more, tops in the Mountain East Conference. Gaiter added 16 points and a trio of assists while Figueroa-Jackson added 14 points and eight rebounds.  Geovonte Rose turned in a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

The Falcons are in action again on Thursday, Feb. 13, for another MEC road tilt, as they take on West Virginia Wesleyan. The contest is scheduled to tip at 7:30 p.m.