SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Fairmont State men's basketball team (6-3) came away with an 86-85 road overtime victory over Shippensburg (4-4) on Tuesday (Dec. 13) night at Heiges Field House in Shippensburg, Pa.
 
Zyon Dobbs calmly sank what would be the game-winning free throws with 21 seconds left in overtime. Dobbs converted five shots from the line and scored seven clutch points during the overtime period.
 
Fonz Hale led the Falcons with 18 points and made a trio of three-point baskets. Hale led all passers with six assists and secured three steals. Dobbs and Isaiah Sanders both threw in 16 points. Sanders made three triples and swatted two steals. David Jolinder (12 points) and Tariq Woody (11 points) finished in double figures. George Mangas tracked down 12 rebounds.
 
Shippensburg took a 9-4 lead in the opening minutes of the game after Carlos Carter's three-point basket with 14:48 remaining in the first half. Hale forced a Shippensburg turnover and delivered an assist to Tommy Williams, who finished the fast break with a layup to tie the score at 11. 
 
The Raiders made two free throws and a layup to go up four points. Dobbs scored a layup and made a free throw after drawing a foul to put the Falcons within one point with 10:41 remaining. Neither team could pull away by more than one score in the final 10 minutes of the first half. Fairmont State scored the final five points of the first half after Hale completed an old-fashioned three-point play and Mangas scored a layup. The Falcons led 31-28 after one half.
 
A jump shot from Sanders and two free throws by Jolinder increased the Fairmont State lead to five points in the first two minutes of the second half. Hale collected another steal and assist combo to Seth Younkin that put the Falcons ahead 40-33 to force a Shippensburg timeout. Fairmont State's offense continued to click and a Jolinder three gave the Falcons an eight-point lead with 15:32 left in the second half.
 
The Raiders closed the gap and tied the game at 56 when Carter scored a bucket and converted a free throw after a foul with 8:30 left in the second half. Jolinder responded on the next possession with a bucket and Sanders drilled his second three of the night to put the Falcons back on top by five points. Shippensburg scored eight-straight points and held Fairmont State scoreless for over three minutes to control a four-point lead. Woody muscled his way in the paint and scored a basket and drew a foul to trim the deficit to one point with 3:21 in regulation. Woody made the bonus free throw and the game was tied at 67. 
 
After a Shippensburg turnover, Dobbs made a layup to give the Falcons the lead. The Raiders answered with a basket to tie the score. Woody delivered another layup in the paint to give Fairmont State a two-point lead with less than 90 seconds remaining in the second half. Again, the Raiders tied the game with a layup at the other end. With less than a minute to go in regulation, Mangas kept a Fairmont State possession alive after tipping an offensive rebound out toward midcourt. Hale prevented the ball from going into the Falcons' backcourt and prevented the turnover. Hale hustled back into the play and nailed an enormous three-point basket that pulled the Falcons ahead by three points. After a Shippensburg timeout, Rashon Johnson drove into the lane and made a layup while being fouled. Johnson hit the free throw and after 40 minutes of play, the game needed an additional five minutes to decide a winner.
 
Sanders scored the first point of overtime at the free-throw line. Following a Falcons defensive stop, Dobbs made a turnaround jump shot and Fairmont State jumped out to a three-point lead early in overtime. The Raiders cashed in on two free throws to erase the Falcons' lead to one point. Mangas and Jolinder each made one free throw to push the FSU lead back up to three. The Falcons continued to shut down the Raiders' offense and held Shippensburg scoreless for over two minutes during OT. Dobbs made three free throws and Sanders chipped in another to give the Falcons a seven-point lead with one minute on the clock.
 
The Raiders would not go away and fought back in the final minute of overtime. Johnson made a deep three with 41 seconds left to make it a two-score game. After Sanders swished a free throw, Carter raced down and hit a three on the other end that put the Raiders down two points with 30 seconds in overtime. Shippensburg's Timmy Connor poked a steal and found Carter, who hit his second-consecutive three in less than 10 seconds to give the Raiders an 85-84 advantage. Dobbs was fouled on the ensuing play and was awarded two free throws. He converted both free throw attempts that gave the Falcons the lead. The Falcons stopped the Raiders in the closing seconds and Fairmont State held on for a road overtime victory.
 
The Fighting Falcons will be back in Joe Retton Arena on Saturday (Dec. 17) at 2 p.m. for a game versus Felician.