WISE, Va. – UVa-Wise men's basketball begins the new year and starts the bulk of Mountain East Conference play with a home matchup against second-ranked Fairmont State University Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
 
Storylines – vs. No. 2 Fairmont State University
The Cavaliers welcome the undefeated Fighting Falcons to the David J. Prior Convocation Center for the sixth home game against a ranked opponent over the last two seasons. Fairmont State, who is currently ranked No. 2 according to both the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and Division II Sports Information Directors Association (D2SIDA) polls, will be the third team ranked either No. 1 or No. 2 to visit Wise since the start of 2016. UVa-Wise hosted then top-ranked West Liberty University and second-ranked Fairmont State last January.
 
The Cavs are seeking their first win against a ranked opponent since upsetting then 14th-ranked King University (100-87) last season on Dec. 20, 2015. Earlier this season (Nov. 26), UVa-Wise was defeated 105-62 inside the Prior Center by then No. 12 Lincoln Memorial University. Fairmont State has already defeated three ranked teams this season, including two overtime road wins at then No. 4 Wheeling Jesuit University (95-92) and at then No. 17 Indiana (Pa.) (91-81).
 
Tuesday night's game will be the first Mountain East Conference contest for either team since early December. In their last conference game, the Cavs were handed an 82-74 loss at Glenville State College. The Fighting Falcons were picked to finish second in the MEC according the league's preseason poll but received one first-place vote.
 
Fairmont State is led by senior All-MEC performers Matt Bingaya and Thomas Wimbush. Bingaya, who was named All-MEC First Team in 2015-16, leads the team in scoring at 19.8 points per game as a 6-foot-4 wingman. Wimbush, a 6-foot-7 forward, earned All-MEC Second-Team accolades a season ago and leads the Fighting Falcons in rebounding at 8.4 per game, while second in scoring (16.3 ppg). Fairmont State has five different players averaging double-figure scoring including sophomore guards Jason Jolly (15.4 ppg) and Vonte Montgomery (11.7 ppg) and junior guard D'Ondre Stockman (10.2 ppg).
 
About UVa-Wise
Three of UVa-Wise's last five contests have been exhibition games at NCAA Division I opponents with the Cavs most recently dropping a 70-51 decision at Eastern Kentucky University last Wednesday, Dec. 28. In the Cavs' last game against Division II competition, UVa-Wise was defeated 93-67 at rival King University on Dec. 18.
 
UVa-Wise leading scorer Taiwo Badmus is a Fairmont State transfer and played for the Fighting Falcons the last two seasons. The 6-foot-7 redshirt junior forward had his best game as a Fighting Falcon almost exactly one year ago on Jan. 4, 2016, in a home rout of UVa-Wise, scoring 18 points and grabbing six rebounds in only 12 minutes of action. Badmus is averaging a team-best 21.1 points and 9.4 rebounds per game for the Cavs and is currently ranked third in the MEC in scoring.
 
With UVa-Wise classes out until Tuesday, Jan. 10, admission to Tuesday night's men's and women's basketball doubleheader will be free, along with the other two doubleheaders this week on Thursday and Sunday afternoon.
 
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