Storylines – Fairmont State GameSteve McDonald's Fairmont State Fighting Falcons enter Saturday's game on a roll having won 10 of its last 11 games. Part of the string of recent good play includes an 86-82 double overtime victory over UVa-Wise earlier this month. Amanda Ruffner leads the Fighting Falcons' offense, the forward is averaging a team-high 16.5 points per game while shooting 61.5 percent from the floor. As a team, Fairmont State relies heavily on its defense. Opponents are averaging just 63.4 points per game and shooting 39.9 percent from the field against the Falcons' defense. The 63.4 points per game allowed ranks second in the Mountain East Conference while the field goal percentage defense is third in the conference. On offense, Fairmont State leads the league in field goal percentage at .483. In its first meeting against UVa-Wise, Steve McDonald's team shot 47.6 percent from the floor as five Fighting Falcons scored in double figures. Makenzie White led the way with 19 points and seven rebounds in the win; this year, White is posting 15.3 points and a team-high 6.7 rebounds per game. A win would give Fairmont State its sixth consecutive win over UVa-Wise since the formation of the Mountain East Conference.
About UVa-WiseTeams generally play better at home, the trend rings true for UVa-Wise as well. Through10 home games, the Cavaliers have won seven games and are averaging 78.4 points per game while outscoring their opponents by an average of 14 points per game. By contrast, UVa-Wise is scoring just over 71 points per game on the road is losing by an average of five points a night away from the Prior Center. Most recently,
Kristin Kunzman's squad is coming off a 102-63 MEC win home win over Shepherd. The 102 points are the most since joining the MEC and marked the first time the team has eclipsed the 100-point plateau since 2010 against Alice Lloyd. A new starting lineup has worked for the Cavs.
Alle Moore has started in four consecutive games and the freshman is proving her worth in the lineup. Thursday, the Marietta, Ohio native registered a season-high 25 points on 10-12 shooting to lead a group of five UVa-Wise players in double figure scoring. The Cavs shot 55.7 percent from the field in the victory while making 15 consecutive free throws en route to a 17-20 showing at the foul line. In its loss to Fairmont State earlier this year,
Taylor Sandidge socred a career-high 27 points while playing all 50 minutes of the double overtime affair. The return of
Makenzie Cluesman from injury has benefited Sandidge and the team tremendously. Cluesman missed the game at Fairmont State and could be a difference maker Saturday. In her last five games, the Jonesville native has scored double figures in each contest while averaging 15 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. Thursday, she came up two assists shy of a triple-double.
