FAIRMONT, W.Va. - - Three Amanda Ruffner free throws in the final minute proved to be the difference as Fairmont State outlasted UVa-Wise 86-82 in double overtime at Joe Retton Arena Monday. Taylor Sandidge had a chance to tie the game for the Cavaliers in the closing seconds but her driving attempt to the basket was no good forcing UVa-Wise to foul Ruffner, who put the game away.

UVa-Wise (63, 2-3 MEC) fell behind by as many as 13 points in the opening half before the long range shooting of Allison Ball brought the Cavs back. Her team finished the half on a 14-5 run to cut the deficit to 38-34 at intermission.

Fairmont State (8-3, 2-3 MEC) held the lead until the 4:22 of the third period when Kehana Grayer scored inside. Grayer's bucket was part of an 8-2 spurt for coach Kristin Kunzman's team who took a 48-43 lead after consecutive free throws by Taylor Sandidge with 2:06 to play in the quarter.

UVa-Wise took a five-point lead to the fourth quarter but Steve McDonald's Fighting Falcons were not done. A 7-0 run by Fairmont State gave the hosts a 56-53 lead with 5:32 to play in the game. A possession later, Blair Harding tied the game when she drained a deep 3-pointer from the left wing.

From that point, the Cavs went on a run, taking a 64-59 lead with 1:07 to play, after a bucket inside by Kayla Carey.

An Emily Puskarich layup quickly answered Carey's bucket and following a UVa-Wise turnover, Fairmont State had the ball down three with 35 seconds to play.

Electing to cut the lead to one, Deidra Combs scored inside with 25 seconds remaining. A pair of made free throws by Grayer gave the Fighting Falcons the ball back down three with 20 seconds to go.

Guard Makenzie White tied the game with 13 ticks on the clock with a 3-pointer from the top of the key. White, however did not realize she had tied the game and immediately fouled Sandidge after the ball was inbounded.

Sandidge made one of two free throws to give the ball back to Fairmont State. On their possession, the Fighting Falcons' Ruffner was fouled and made just one of two free throws, tying the game.

Kunzman called timeout to set up a final play but her club would be unable to score, sending the game to overtime.

In the extra session, it was Fairmont State who seemingly had the game won when Puskarich scored at the 1:47 mark to give her squad a 75-70 lead.

The remainder of the overtime session belonged to Sandidge. The Waynesboro native scored five consecutive points to tie the game. Her final bucket, a layup inside came with just five seconds to play.

A final shot attempt by Fairmont State's Gabriel Etter was blocked by Ball sending the game to a second overtime.

The Cavs took the advantage early in the second extra period. When Natalia Saar's bucket found the bottom of the net with 2:18 to play it gave the guests an 81-78 lead. It would be a short-lived three-point lead as Puskarich drained a 3-pointer seconds later to knot the game at 81.

A turnover by the Cavs was followed by a pair of free throws by Combs to give the Fighting Falcons an 83-81 lead with 1:17 to go.

Sandidge would split two foul shots on the next possession and the one point deficit would be as close as UVa-Wise would get the rest of the way. After Ruffner made one of two charity shots, Sandidge came up empty on a game-tying attempt.

White scored a team-high 19 points for Fairmont State while adding seven rebounds and three assists. Puskarich finished 7-14 from the field en route to 18 points while Combs, 16, Ruffner, 14 and Etter 10 also tallied double figures for the Fighting Falcons.

Sandidge led all players with 27 points; the guard joined Combs as the only two players to play all 50 minutes of the game.

Ball made three of four 3-point attempts 15 points for the Cavs while Carey scored 10 points in 17 minutes before fouling out.

Fairmont State's free throw shooting may have been the difference as the Fighting Falcons shot 86.4 percent compared to UVa-Wise's 65.2 percent.

Next up for the Cavs is a trip to Shepherdstown, W.Va. Wednesday when they take on the Rams of Shepherd University. Tip is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.