WHEELING, W.Va. – Briggs Parris finished with a season-high 19 points and Isaiah Sanders and George Mangas both totaled 17 points as the Fairmont State men's basketball team (11-5, 6-3 Mountain East Conference) defeated Wheeling (2-13, 0-9 MEC) 106-85 on Wednesday (Jan. 11) night at the Alma McDonough Center in Wheeling, W.Va.
 
Parris connected on 8-of-9 shots from the field and 3-of-4 attempts from three-point range. Parris also distributed four assists and did not commit a turnover. Sanders passed out a team-high seven assists while hustling his way to four rebounds and four steals. Mangas grabbed seven boards and picked up one steal. Zyon Dobbs and Fonz Hale both netted 14 points. Dobbs dished out five assists and forced a pair of steals, while Hale knocked down four shots from deep. Tariq Woody rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points and went 5-of-6 from the field. Seth Younkin swatted three blocks and tracked down seven rebounds.
 
Fairmont State hit 56.5% of its shots in the game, including 71.8% in the second half. The Fighting Falcons compiled 12 three-point baskets and totaled 19 points on fast break opportunities. The Fairmont State defense held Wheeling to just eight three-pointers on the night and forced 11 turnovers. The Fighting Falcons came on top in the rebounding battle, 37-32.
 
Wheeling scored four unanswered points to tie the score at 15 with 11:48 left in the first half. A layup by Woody and a David Jolinder jump shot put the Fighting Falcons ahead 19-15. After Dobbs made two free throws, Mangas and Sanders both finished in the paint to extend the Fairmont State lead to 29-21 with 7:28 on the clock in the first half. The Cardinals trimmed the Fairmont State lead to two points with 2:44 to go in the half. The Fighting Falcons ended the first half outscoring Wheeling 9-2. Hale drained a three at the buzzer that sent the Fighting Falcons into the locker room up nine.
 
The Fighting Falcons controlled the second half and led by seven or more points for the entire 20 minutes of play. The Falcons scored nine-consecutive points in less than a minute of game time to push the lead to 22 points after Younkin found Mangas open for a triple. Fairmont State compiled another 9-0 run late in the half to seal it. Dobbs found Sanders for a dunk that put Fairmont State over the century mark. The Fighting Falcons outscored Wheeling 60-48 in the final half.
 
The Fighting Falcons will gear up for a clash versus No. 6 West Liberty on Saturday (Jan. 14). The feud will begin at 4 p.m. inside Joe Retton Arena.