WHEELING, W.Va. -- Fairmont State held off No. 19-ranked West Liberty, 102-99, on Sunday evening to win its first conference tournament championship since 1984.
 
Sunday was Fairmont's third appearance in the MEC Tournament Championship Game, with the Falcons falling in the finals in both 2014-15 and 2016-17.
 
With the win, Fairmont State improves to 15-4 on the year and has earned the Mountain East Conference's automatic bid to the Atlantic Region Tournament next weekend at West Liberty's ASRC. WLU falls to 15-4 on the year and will likely earn an at-large bid to next week's Atlantic Region Tournament. The Hilltoppers were fourth in last week's NCAA Atlantic Region Rankings.
 
Fairmont State shot 54 percent from the field and a sizzling 61 percent from behind the arc in the win. The Falcons also cashed in on 27-of-35 attempts from the charity stripe.
 
Fairmont State also outrebounded WLU, 39-30, in the win.
 
Dale Bonner, a member of the 2021 Mountain East Conference All-Tournament Team, scored a game- and team-high 34 points to go with nine rebounds and four assists to lead the Falcons in Sunday's championship final. Isaiah Sanders, the 2021 MEC Tournament MVP, also chipped in 25 points and seven rebounds. Sanders shot 8-of-13 from the field and 4-of-5 from three in the win. Cole VonHandorf added 17 points and five rebounds, and Seth Younkin also reached double-figures with 10 points and six rebounds.
 
Fairmont State set MEC Tournament Championship game records in total points (102) and free throws made (27).
 
FSU also becomes to seventh MEC program in league history to win the men's basketball tournament championship, with no program winning the crown in consecutive seasons.
 
West Liberty had four double-figure scorers on the evening, led by 27 points from Pat Robinson and 24 points from Luke Dyer. Bryce Butler also chipped in 16 points, and Dalton Bolon added 12.
 
West Liberty, who trailed by as many as 17 in the first half, shot 63.9 percent from the field in the second half to make it a one-possession game multiple times in the final minute. WLU shot just under 54 percent for the game.
 
WLU broke the MEC Tournament record for most points in a half with 64 in the second half, and also tied the championship game record for made field goals with 36.

All-Tournament Team
Lamont McManus, UC
Jeremiah Moore, WVSU
John Wiliams, GSC
Hegel Augustin, GSC
Dalton Bolon, WLU
Pat Robinson, WLU
Dale Bonner, FAIR
MVP-Isaiah Sanders, FAIR

Highest Scoring Average: John Williams, GSC

Heart & Hustle: Pat Robinson, WLU