FAIRMONT, W.Va. – Four players reached double-figures as Fairmont State held off Wheeling University for a 71-66 victory on Saturday afternoon at Dan Cava Court inside Joe Retton Arena.
 
With the victory, Fairmont State improves to 9-7 overall and 6-4 in league play. WU falls to 5-11 overall and 4-6 in Mountain East Conference play.
 
Fairmont State led by as many as 18 points at the 3:47 mark of the third quarter, and entered the fourth quarter with a 61-45 lead before the Cardinals pulled to within three points with just over a minute remaining. Wheeling outscored Fairmont State 21-10 in the fourth quarter, but Brooke Kurucz scored a layup and dropped in a pair of free throws in the final minute to help the Falcons hold on for the win.
 
Kurucz finished the afternoon with 16 points and four rebounds, becoming the 32^nd player in school history to score over 1,000 points while wearing the maroon and white. Kurucz's free throws with 16 seconds remaining gave her 1,000 points in her three-year Fairmont State career.
 
Joining Kurucz in double-figures were Rachel Laskody with 13 points and nine rebounds, Sierra Kotchman with 11 points and seven rebounds, and Kamrin Weimer with 10 points and six rebounds. The Falcons also got nine points from Presley Tuttle off the bench.
 
Fairmont State shot just 39 percent from the floor, but did finish the afternoon with eight 3-pointers and a 17-of-20 performance from the charity stripe. The Falcons also outrebounded Wheeling by a 44-36 margin.
 
Wheeling finished the afternoon shooting nearly 41 percent from the floor, but connected on just 2-of-10 attempts from behind the arc.
 
Lilly Ritz paced the Cardinals with 35 points and a game-high 14 rebounds. Khira Burton also chipped in eight points and five assists.
 
Wheeling held a 46-20 advantage scoring in the paint.
 
Fairmont State will return to action on Wednesday evening at Davis & Elkins. Tip is set for 5:30 p.m.