Box Score FAIRMONT, W.Va. – Ranked second in the nation according to the latest National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division II poll, Fairmont State University handed UVa-Wise men's basketball a lopsided, 116-77 Mountain East Conference loss Saturday evening inside Joe Retton Arena. The Fighting Falcons (20-0, 14-0) shot a blistering 60 percent (45-of-75) from the field in the game and hit 53.1 percent (17-of-32) of their 3-pointers as seven different Fairmont State players scored in double figures.
 
Dropping their second consecutive game, the Cavaliers (5-15, 3-11) were hindered by the Fighting Falcons' aggressive, full-court pressure and turned the ball over 22 times, including 12 second-half turnovers. Those miscues led to 33 points for the home team. Fairmont State outscored UVa-Wise 50-40 in points in the paint and outrebounded the Cavs 41-35, grabbing 15 offensive boards that led 20 second-chance points.
 
The Fighting Falcons scored the first eight points of the contest and kept UVa-Wise scoreless for the first two and a half minutes. A 3-pointer by redshirt junior forward and Fairmont State transfer Taiwo Badmus (London, England) cut the deficit to four three and a half minutes in, it would be the closest the Cavs would get for the remainder of the game. The Fighting Falcons' Shammgod Wells nailed the first of back-to-back treys to give Fairmont State its first double-digit lead just under the 15-minute mark of the opening half.
 
Four quick points by UVa-Wise got the Cavs back to within six before the Fighting Falcons outscored the visitors 15-6 over the next four and a half minutes to build a 15-point, 34-19 lead with just under 10 minutes to go in the first half. Fairmont State continued its onslaught of made baskets, especially from long range, and went on a 15-4 run over the following five and a half minutes to mount a 26-point advantage at 49-23. UVa-Wise responded with a 7-0 run, including five-straight points from redshirt sophomore Dimitri Sousa (São Paulo, Brazil), late in the opening half to trim the deficit to 19 with 1:43 left in the period. However, the Cavs would be kept from scoring for the remainder of the half.
 
The Fighting Falcons took a 53-32 lead into the break after shooting 57.6 percent (19-of-33) in the first half, including 61.1 percent (11-of-18) from distance. D'Ondre Stockman had 12 points for Fairmont State at the half after going 4-for-4 on 3-pointers. UVa-Wise shot 41.2 percent (14-of-34) in the opening half and went only 1-of-9 from deep. Freshman guard Chance Sheffey (Staunton, Va.) had a team-leading 10 points for the Cavs at the break.
 
Scoring the first five points of the second half, the Fighting Falcons built their lead to 27 after a layup by Matt Bingaya a little over a minute and a half into play. UVa-Wise chiseled away at the lead and outscored the home team 18-11 over the next six and a half minutes to get to within 20 at 71-51 with 11:50 remaining. However, the Cavs' better play sparked a 11-0 Fairmont State run over the two minutes, giving the Fighting Falcons a 31-point advantage at 82-51 with under 10 minutes to go.
 
UVa-Wise would be no closer than 28 points for the rest of the contest as Fairmont State continued to distance itself. A dunk by the Fighting Falcons' Andrew Emrick gave Fairmont State its largest lead at 41 with just under 30 seconds remaining. The Fighting Falcons outscored the Cavs 25-15 over the final seven minutes of the game.
 
Fairmont State shot even better in the second half, going 26-of-42 (61.9 percent) from the floor and 6-of-14 (42.9 percent) from beyond the arc. UVa-Wise shot 43.3 percent (13-of-30) in the second half and was much better from long range, going 5-of-10 from 3-point distance. The Cavs finished 27-of-64 (42.2 percent) from the field for the game and 6-of-19 (31.6 percent) from deep.
 
The Fighting Falcons got 72 points off the bench as UVa-Wise earned only eight points from its bench players.
 
For the second-straight game, freshman point guard Michal Seals (Lancaster, Pa.) tied his career high with 24 points to lead the Cavs, connecting on four of his seven 3-point attempts. Seals also grabbed five boards and dished out four assists, while Badmus collected his ninth double-double of the season with 21 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Sheffey had a good game as well, scoring 11 points to go along with five rebounds and a career-high tying four assists. Sousa was the fourth UVa-Wise player to score in double figures, finishing with 11 points and four caroms.
 
Emrick led Fairmont State with 19 points and six boards as Bingaya dished in 16 and Jason Jolly and Ty Dobson each scored 14 on four made 3-pointers. Stockman finished with 12 points, while Troy Cantrell and Shammgod Wells earned 10 points. Wells made a game-high seven assists and Thomas Wimbush collected a team-high eight rebounds.
 
The Cavs finish up their three-game road trip Wednesday, Feb. 1 with a trip to Buckhannon, West Virginia, to take on West Virginia Wesleyan. Tipoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. Live play-by-play of Wednesday's game can be heard on WDIC 92.1 FM – The Wolf, or online at wdicradio.com.
 
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