FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State Men's Basketball team dropped their home game to the Fairmont State Fighting Falcons by a score of 97-73 on Saturday evening at home.
Frostburg junior Kobe Baptiste and Fairmont's David Jolinder scored the first four points for the respective teams for a 4-4 game early on. Jolinder then traded threes with freshman Malcom Day for a 7-7 game. The Falcons went on a nine-point run, before freshman Logan Lewis put up a basket to bring the score to 16-9. Fairmont pressed and scored back-to-back baskets to go ahead 20-9. As he grabbed an offensive rebound, Baptiste was fouled, adding a point and cutting Fairmont's lead to ten 10. An offensive board resulted in a made three for the Falcons, putting them up 13. Continuing their press, the Falcons stole the ball back, and earned a spot at the free throw line to increase their lead to 25-10. Senior Jaylin Albury found his first assist of the game, as he threw the ball into junior Sebastian Gahse for two to bring the game to 25-12. Jolinder had the ball in his hands and converted an and-one to make the score 28-12. Just before a timeout, Day went coast-to-coast to cut Fairmont's lead in half 28-14.
Coming out of the timeout, senior Sean Brown Jr. hit a three off an Albury assist to make the game 28-17. Albury then had a layup of his own, cutting Fairmont's lead to single digits, 28-19. Jolinder and Lewis exchanged baskets, as Fairmont went up 30-21. After a few minutes of scrambling, senior Jaylon Johnson hit his first three of the game to bring thr Bobcats within six, 30-24. The Falcons created back-to-back baskets to go back up by 10. With just under five minutes left in the half, Lewis was fed the ball by Johnson for a knock down three and a 34-27 game. The respective teams traded baskets, as the Falcons remained up by 10, after redshirt sophomore Justin Roseme sunk a three. The last minute and a half saws twos and threes by both teams, as Fairmont ended up on top 51-38 at the break.
Coming out of halftime, Baptiste was first on the board to bring the game to 51-40. After three minutes of play and the score showing 57-42, freshman Zane McCarty hit a three to get the ball rolling for Frostburg. Coming out of a timeout, Fairmont capitalized on opportunities and hit two baskets in a row to extend their lead to 61-45. Day with two threes and Roseme with one, allowed Frostburg to trail 70-57. A foul sent Lewis to the line, allowing him to sinking both free throws to make the score 72-59. Each team saw five points mid-half, as the Falcons remained on top 79-64. Fairmont hit four threes in a row with Frostburg struggling to keep up and put points on the board. With under five minutes remaining in regulation, Fairmont led 91-68. The Falcons saw six more points the rest of the game, where Baptiste and Johnson hit a few free throws, as Fairmont took the 97-73 win.
Baptiste led Frostburg with a double-double on 12 points and 12 rebounds. Four other Bobcats scored in double figures, as Lewis led with 14, Johnson and Day both had 13, and Roseme finished with 11. Albury led the team with five assists.
With the conclusion of the game, Frostburg falls to an overall record of 2-16 and a conference record of 2-9, while Fairmont moves to an overall record of 14-4 and a conference record of 7-4. Frostburg is back in action on Wednesday, January 31 as they take on Glenville State on the road at 7:30 PM. For more information visit frostburgsports.com.
