FAIRMONT, W.Va. -- Fairmont State controlled the overtime session to hold off Shepherd's comeback bid and claim an 83-74 win on Thursday night at Joe Retton Arena.
 
With the win, the Falcons improved to 13-4 overall and 7-4 in the Mountain East Conference. SU falls to 4-13 overall and 3-8 in the league.
 
FSU saw its 15-point halftime lead evaporate when Morgan Arden's jumper tied the game at 64-64 with four minutes left. Shepherd's comeback began right out of the gate in the second half, when the Rams scored the first nine points in the third quarter and cut Fairmont's halftime advantage to just six points (44-38) with 7:03 remaining in the third.
 
The margin remained in single-digits during the fourth quarter, as the lead changed four times before regulation ended with a 70-70 tie.
 
Fairmont State closed out the win in overtime, outscoring the Rams 13-4 in the extra session.
 
Amanda Ruffner led the way for the Falcons with 19 points on 7-of-9 from the field. Katie Nunan came off the bench to score 17 points and pulled down six rebounds. Deidra Combs also added 13 points, seven rebounds, four assists, four blocks and two steals while Gabrielle Etter and Emily Puskarich each scored 11.
 
The Falcons shot 49.2 percent from the field and once again shared the basketball well offensively; recording 20 assists on 29 made baskets. Shepherd held a 35-34 rebounding margin and outscored FSU in the paint, 46-38. The Rams also held a 28-20 advantage in points-off turnovers and recorded 16 fast-break points.
 
Arden tossed in a game-high 31 points to lead the Rams. Liz Myers scored 13 and Kari Lankford had a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds.
 
FSU will travel to Buckhannon on Saturday afternoon for a 2 p.m. tip against the Wesleyan Bobcats to kick-off the second half of the MEC schedule.