Storylines –Fairmont State GameLike UVa-Wise, Fairmont State posted an undefeated mark in non-conference play. The Fighting Falcons finished off the non-conference portion of their schedule with a 105-45 thrashing of Bluefield State on Dec. 16. Emily Puskarich scored a game-high 26 points to lead a group of six Fairmont State players who scored in double figures. Steve McDonald's team shot 56 percent from the floor and made 16 3-pointers in the win, Puskarich fired in eight long-distance shots. The 105 points were a season-high for Fairmont State who has scored over 90 points in consecutive games. On the year, the Fighting Falcons are averaging 75.8 points per game to rank third in the Mountain East Conference. A pair of juniors have led the Fairmont State offense, Amanda Ruffner ranks fifth in the league in scoring at 17.7 points per game while teammate Makenzie White is 10th in scoring at 15.6 points per contest. Monday's game is the third of four straight home games for Fairmont State. The Fighting Falcons won each of the first two games.
About UVa-WiseUVa-Wise begins a four-game Mountain East Conference road trip on Monday when the team visits Fairmont State. A pivotal game for both clubs, the Fighting Falcons enter 7-3 overall but just 1-3 in MEC play. Meanwhile, coach
Kristin Kunzman's Cavaliers are 6-2 overall but 2-2 in the league. A year ago, Fairmont State won both meetings and Steve McDonald's club is currently on a four-game winning streak over UVa-Wise. For the Cavs to stop the streak, the team will have to continue playing well in the first half. Through the season's first eight games, UVa-Wise is shooting 40.9 percent from the field as a team and outscoring its opponents by nearly five points in the first 20 minutes. In a 72-67 win over King on Dec. 20, the Cavs built a 40-25 halftime lead and held off a late Tornado rally by making 17 of 19 free throws in the contest. On the year, UVa-Wise is making 73.8 percent of its free throw attempts to rank third in the league. Recently, the Cavs have shot even better from the line, having made 80 percent of their attempts over the last four games. The experience UVa-Wise puts on the floor should also be a benefit to the team as the calendar turns to January and the club plays 18 consecutive league games. Among the Cavs top eight players, in terms of minutes, just one freshman is among the group while two seniors and four juniors join a sophomore to round out the rotation. Kunzman's two seniors have been playing the best ball of their career as of late.
Blair Harding leads the team and ranks seventh in the league in scoring at 17.1 points per game. The Baltimore native is averaging 3.5 made 3-pointers per game to lead the MEC, she ranks eighth nationally in the category. Fellow senior
Kehana Grayer is shooting 42.1 percent from the floor and posting 7.9 points, six rebounds and 2.2 assists per night. The West Jordan, Utah native hit a crucial baseline jumper in the final minute of the team's most recent win over King. A year ago, Grayer averaged 11.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in the two games against Fairmont State.
