#18 FAIRMONT STATE FIGHTING FALCONS (12-2, 7-2 MEC) at #8 West Liberty Hilltoppers (14-1, 8-1 MEC)

DATE/TIME: Saturday January 15th, 2022 | 4:00 p.m.
ARENA/LOCATION: West Liberty's "ASRC" l West Liberty, W.Va. 
LIVE VIDEO
LIVE STATS
RADIO: Join Travis Jones and Duane Cochran on SKY 106.5 FM all season for men's basketball coverage (Pre-game show from West Liberty begins at 3:45 p.m.)
WEST LIBERTY GAME NOTES

*Game Tabbed in NABC'S Games to Watch This Week​*

- Fairmont State is now ranked #18 in the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) poll while today's opponent West Liberty remains at #8 in the rankings. The University of Charleston is receiving votes for the second straight week of the NABC release.

- Fairmont State is in their 160th meeting all-time with the Hilltoppers as the Fighting Falcons hold the 88-71 series advantage over West Liberty. Last time out, Fairmont State held off the Hilltoppers, 102-99, to win its first conference tournament championship since 1984 on March 7th, 2021. 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).

- Fairmont State last won in West Liberty on February 14th, 2008 where the Falcons defeated the Hilltoppers 88-79 inside West Liberty's "ASRC". Fairmont State finished the season 19-11 after a quarterfinal loss to West Virginia State in WVIAC Tournament. Here is the live video broadcast from the Falcons' win, courtesy of West Liberty's Topper Station.
 
- The Fighting Falcons are now 12-2 on the season and 7-2 in MEC play with Fairmont State picking up their fifth-straight win of the season against Wheeling on Wednesday evening, 95-84. Fairmont State shot a season-high 65.5% (38-58) from the field and made 11 threes on the night. VonHandorf paced the teams in scoring with 22 points on 10-12 shooting from the floor and 2-2 from beyond the arc. Mangas followed with 21 points on a perfect 9-9 from the field and collected four rebounds. Sanders picked up 18 points in tonight's win and Seth Younkin picked up his third double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 boards. Parris rounded out the Falcons in double-figures with 11 points and had three three-pointers.

- Fairmont State ranks third overall in the MEC in scoring average (87.1 ppg) with West Liberty being ranked first with 98.1 points per game. On the defensive side, the Falcons are second in scoring defense allowing 74.5 points per game in 14 contests. Sanders is second in the MEC in scoring average with 22.9 points per game and Younkin is second in the MEC in pulling down 10.5 rebounds per game. Fairmont State is also first in defensive field goal percentage with opponents only shooting 42.1% from the field.

- Tim Koenig enters his third season as the Head Men's Basketball Coach at Fairmont State and carries an overall record of 50-14 at Fairmont State. Koenig earned his 50th career win at the helm of the Fighting Falcon men's basketball program after the 95-84 win over Wheeling on Wednesday night.

#18 Fairmont State (12-2, 7-2 MEC) is back at Joe Retton Arena on Monday afternoon at 4 p.m. when they host Carlow University in a non-conference matchup.

Join Head Men's Basketball Coach Tim Koenig and Voices of the Falcons Travis Jones and Duane Cochran at the Brickside Tavern in Fairmont at the Country Club for the Tim Koenig radio show on Monday night at 7 p.m. on SKY 106.5 FM or https://v7player.wostreaming.net/2592. The show is sponsored all season long by Valley Distributing.