FAIRMONT, W.Va. -- The Fairmont State women's basketball team (19-8, 13-6 Mountain East Conference) forced 14 turnovers and collected 11 steals in the second half in a 65-42 win over Wheeling (12-14, 10-9 MEC) at Joe Retton Arena on Wednesday (Feb. 15) evening.
 
"I think we're focusing a lot defensively, and I think that's helping us open up some things offensively for us," said Fairmont State Head Coach Stephanie Anderson. "Our kids are focused, they're playing hard, and they're playing together"
 
Katy Darnell led the Falcons with a double-double that consisted of 15 points and 13 rebounds. The double-double was Darnell's ninth of the season and fourth consecutive. Leslie Huffman led all scorers with 18 points, going 7-for-14 from the field and 2-for-3 from behind the arc. Jertaya Hall scored 10 points and Alyssa DeAngelo had nine. Madeline Huffman finished the game with eight points, three assists, and seven rebounds.
 
Hall drained a three to get the Falcons on the board in the first minute of play. Madeline Huffman made a jumper to put Fairmont State within two points of the Cardinals. Leslie Huffman capitalized on a drive to the hoop and a three-ball with just under five minutes to play in the first quarter to even the score at 10-10. Madeline Huffman followed suit with a three to give the Fighting Falcons a lead, 13-12. Wheeling was able to regain its original lead by the end of the first quarter and held a 14-13 advantage.
 
Leslie Huffman completed a drive to the basket which resulted in a three-point play for the Falcons. Darnell drained a shot from behind the arc to extend the lead on the Cards. After a five-point run by Wheeling, Jalen Gibbs completed a layup to even the score at 21-21. Two layups by Darnell and one from DeAngelo pushed the Falcons' lead to 27-23. The Cardinals evened the score before halftime and tied the game at the half, 27-27.
 
Gibbs grabbed a rebound and tapped it in the hoop for a basket to start the second half. On the following possession, Darnell scored a layup off of a turnover to put Fairmont State up 31-27. The senior from Charleston, W.Va. made a pull-up jumper that gave the Falcons a six-point lead. DeAngelo completed a three-point bucket and a layup that increased the Fairmont State lead to double-digits with 4:01 to go in the third quarter. FSU led after the third quarter by ten points, 45-35.
 
An early three by Leslie Huffman put the Falcons up 48-35 to start the fourth quarter. Layups by Darnell and Leslie Huffman pushed the Falcons' lead to 52-39 with 6:53 on the clock. Leslie Huffman continued to find success driving the lane and finished a layup to put the Falcons ahead by 13. A triple made by Madeline Huffman, and two free throws and a jumper from Leslie Huffman continued the offensive padding for the Falcons. Fairmont State outscored the Cardinals 38-15 in the second half and locked down a critical win versus Wheeling, 65-42.
 
The Fighting Falcons are set to rematch West Liberty Saturday (Feb. 18) on the road at 2 p.m.