WISE, Va. -- The University of Virginia's College at Wise outlasted Fairmont State, 80-64, on Saturday afternoon at the Prior Center in Wise.
 
With the loss, Fairmont State falls to 15-5 overall and 9-5 in the Mountain East Conference. UVa-Wise improves to 9-9 overall and 5-9 in the league.
 
The Falcons, who were already shorthanded with the illness of Emily Puskarich, battled severe foul trouble most of the afternoon. For the final three minutes of the game, the Falcons had just six players available.
 
After falling behind by 11 with just under four minutes remaining in the opening quarter, the Falcons ended the quarter on an 11-5 run to close the UVa-Wise advantage to just five (20-15). In the second quarter, FSU outscored the home-standing Cavs, 18-16, with both Amanda Ruffner and Katie Nunan on the bench with two fouls to go to the locker room facing just a three-point deficit (36-33).
 
Makenzie White scored 16 of her 18 points in the opening half to lead the Falcons before coming out of the game due to injury in the third. Allison Ball led the Cavs in the opening half with 13 points on 3-of-4 shooting from behind the arc.
 
In the third quarter, FSU once again fell behind by double-figures (50-37) before cutting the UVa-Wise advantage back to just four, 57-53, at the end of the quarter. The Cavaliers closed out FSU with a 23-11 scoring advantage in the fourth to pick up the win.
 
The Falcons also got 15 points and seven rebounds from Deidra Combs before fouling out with three minutes remaining in the game. Garbrielle Etter also chipped in eight points and a team-high four assists for FSU.
 
Fairmont shot just 36.2 percent from the field and were outrebounded 46-32 in the loss.
 
UVa-Wise got a game-high 20 points from Ball as she knocked-down four threes in the win. The Cavaliers also got 16 points from Alle Moore and Makenzie Cluesman recorded a double-double with 14 points and 16 rebounds, knocking-down all three of her shots from behind the arc. UVa-Wise also struggled from the field, shooting just 37 percent from the field in the win.
 
FSU will attempt to avenge an early season loss to West Liberty on Thursday evening at Joe Retton Arena. Tip is set for 5:30 p.m. against the Hilltoppers.