FAIRMONT, W.Va. -- The nationally-ranked Fairmont State men's basketball team will host the annual Joe Retton Classic on Friday and Saturday inside Joe Retton Arena. The Falcons, who are ranked 25th in the NABC national rankings and 17th in the D2SIDA national rankings, will open the season against Clarion at 6 p.m. on Friday. FSU will then return to action on Saturday evening against Bowie State, tip is set for 7 p.m. against the Bulldogs.

Student Ticket Promotion

Through the 2016-17 season, all secondary and elementary aged students will receive a free general admission ticket to Fairmont State men's and women's basketball games. In addition, all parent or guardians that accompany any secondary or elementary aged children to the game will receive half-price admission when purchasing general admission tickets.

2016 Joe Retton Classic Schedule

Friday, Nov. 11
6 p.m. - Fairmont State vs. Clarion | Live Video | Live Audio | Live Stats
8 p.m. - WV Wesleyan vs. Bowie State | Live Stats

Saturday, Nov. 12
3 p.m. - WV Wesleyan vs. Clarion | Live Stats
7 p.m. - Fairmont State vs. Bowie State | Live Video | Live Audio | Live Stats

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Fairmont State Men's Basketball Notebook

- The Fairmont State men's basketball team is coming off a 25-5 season and a top 10 national ranking in 14-consecutive weeks. The Falcons were ranked as high as No. 2 in the country a season ago.

- Last season's 25-3 regular season was the best finish since 1999-00 and was the 15th 25-win season in Fairmont State men's basketball history.

- The Falcons were picked second in the 2016-17 preseason poll following a vote by the league's coaches.

- Nationally, the Falcons open this season ranked 25th in the NABC Coaches' Poll and 17th in the D2SIDA Media Poll.

- Matt Bingaya, a 2015-16 first team All-MEC and All-Region pick, returns for his senior season after averaging a team-high 18.2 points per game as a junior. Bingaya was ranked in the top 25 in the country in field goal percentage last season (.592).

- Bingaya recorded 16 20-point scoring performances and seven double-doubles last season.

- Thomas Wimbush also earned All-MEC honors a season ago after averaging 11.0 points and 5.6 rebounds per game as a junior. For his career, Wimbush has scored 1,130 points and is 10th in school history in career blocks with 68.

- Wimbush reached double-figures in 11 of the last 16 games a season ago and reached double-figures 16 times.

- Senior point guard Shammgod Wells enters this season with 366 assists, currently sitting in sixth place in school history in the category. Wells needs 160 assists as a senior to become the all-time school leader in assists.

- Wells is also fifth in FSU history in career steals, needing just 45 to become the all-time school leader.

- Senior center Trevor Andrews-Evans is currently third in FSU history with 164 career blocks in three seasons at FSU. Andrews-Evans needs just 40 blocks to move into second in program history in career blocked shots.

- Caleb Davis needs just 301 points as a senior to become the 46th player in school history to reach 1,000 career points.

Scouting West Virginia Wesleyan

• West Virginia Wesleyan finished last season with an overall record of 17-13 and were 11-11 in Mountain East Conference play.

• The Bobcats were selected eighth in the Mountain East Preseason Poll.

• Last season WVWC finished in the top-25 nationally in scoring defense (68.3), three-point field goal percentage (39.7) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.44).

• Wesleyan's top returning scorer from a season ago is Mo Berchie, who finished the year averaging 9.3 points per contest.

• Fred Brondsted also returns after leading the team in three-point field goals made (2.1).

Scouting Bowie State

• Bowie State closed out last season with an overall record of 17-13 and a 9-7 mark in CIAA action.

• The Bulldogs are projected to finish third in the CIAA and were also voted third in the Northern Division.

• Bowie State has already played one exhibition game this season, dropping a close battle with George Washington University by the score of 86-80 last Saturday in Washington D.C.

• The Bulldogs finished in the top-25 nationally last season in field-goal percentage defense (40.7), free-throw percentage (76.2), blocked shots per game (4.7) and total blocks (140.0).

• Bowie State's top returning scorers from last season are Ahmaad Wilson (8.3) and Michael Briscoe (8.0).

Scouting Clarion

• Clarion University finished the 2015-16 season with an overall record of 14-16 and a 10-12 mark in PSAC competition.

• Clarion was voted No. 8 in the PSAC West Preseason Poll with guard BJ Andrews receiving Preseason All-Conference recognition.

• The Golden Eagles have played one game this season, falling 108-51 to Kentucky in an exhibition in Lexington.

• Last season Clarion finished in the top 30 nationally in blocked shots per game (4.6), steals per game (8.7), total blocks (139.0), total steals (260.0) and turnovers forced per game (16.3).

• Clarion's top returning scorer from last season is Andrews, who averaged 12.1 points per game last season and led the team with 48 made three-pointer.

• Akeem Williams led the team last season with 44 blocks, which was second-best in the PSAC.