Postgame Interview

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The No. 1-ranked and top-seeded Fairmont State men's basketball team didn't disappoint a packed Fairmont contingent behind the Falcon bench on Saturday evening, as FSU hammered fourth-seeded Shepherd, 93-65, to advance to the Mountain East Conference Tournament Championship Game on Sunday afternoon.
 
Fairmont State (29-1) will meet 11th-ranked and No. 2-seeded West Liberty for the MEC Tournament Championship on Sunday afternoon inside the Charleston Civic Center. The Falcons will be looking to become the first MEC Regular Season Champion to win the MEC Tournament in the four-year history of the league.
 
After a competitive opening 10 minutes of action, FSU gained a 10-point advantage at the 9:56 mark on a tip-in by Troy Cantrell and didn't allow Shepherd to cut the advantage to single digits the rest of the game.
 
At the 9:56 mark after grabbing its first double-digit lead, FSU scored 10 of the next 13 points to grab a 33-16 advantage just two and a half minutes later.
 
FSU continued to roll in the second half by shooting 54.5 percent from the floor (18-of-33) to push its lead to as many as 30 (93-63) with 1:22 remaining. FSU bucketed 10 of its 15 three-point attempts in the final 20 minutes of play.
 
FSU also moved the ball with ease on the offensive end, recording 19 assists on 32 baskets. In addition, the Falcons held a 29-5 advantage in bench scoring and went 14-of-15 from the free throw line.
 
Bingaya led the Falcons with 21 points and 11 rebounds in just 20 minutes of action in the semifinal win. Shammgod Wells and Thomas Wimbush also added 15 points apiece and D'Ondre Stockman chipped in 11 off the bench. Wells passed out a game-high eight assists in the win.
 
Shepherd (19-11), who never led in the game, shot just 34.9 percent from the field (22-of-63) and 21.7 percent from behind the arc (5-of-23).
 
The Rams were led by Naim Muhammad with 15 points and six rebounds. AJ Carr (14), Winston Burgess (12) and Steffen Davis (11) rounded out four SU players in double figures. Burgess recorded a double-double by also pulling down 10 boards.