FAIRMONT — The regular season certainly didn’t end like Fairmont State’s men’s basketball team wanted it to.
Two losses during the final week of the season and a total of three losses in nine days have left the Falcons in a situation where their performance in the annual West Virginia Conference Tournament will be of the utmost importance if they have any hopes of playing past this week.
Tonight at 7:30 p.m. that journey begins for the Falcons when they play host to Concord University in the opening round of the annual WVC Tournament at the Joe Retton Arena.
Tickets for tonight’s game which will feature open seating are $8 for adults and $4 for students and senior citizens. Fairmont State student, faculty and staff IDs will be recognized; however WVC Tournament games are not included in season ticket packages.
FSU began last week ranked sixth in the all-important NCAA Division II East Regional Rankings, but losses to Pitt-Johnstown Tuesday and Seton Hill Saturday sandwiched around a victory Thursday over Charleston seriously damaged the Falcons’ hopes for an at-large bid to the national tournament.
Thus, for Fairmont to have any shot whatsoever of making the NCAA D-II Tournament later this month the Falcons absolutely must have a strong showing in the WVC Tournament — something the team hasn’t been able to do for a number of years.
Fairmont finished fourth in the 16-team WVC standings during the regular season. The Falcons are 21-6 overall and 16-6 in league play. Concord, on the other hand, enters this evening’s game as the No. 13 team in the league. The Mountain Lions are 6-21 overall and 5-17 in the conference, but have a couple of impressive wins on their resume including a 24-point victory over No. 5 Charleston and an 18-point win over Glenville State.
“I told our guys Saturday after our loss to Seton Hill if we play Tuesday like we did Saturday we’re not going to win,” said FSU coach Tim Murphy. “It’s as simple as that. Believe me Concord is coming in here tonight with nothing whatsoever to lose. They’re going to play loose and relaxed and I can guarantee you they will play hard.
“Look at Concord’s teams under Steve Cox. They all tend to get better as the year goes on. They’re coming in here off of a win Saturday so they’ve got a little momentum and confidence. Have they won a lot of games this year? No, but have they been in a lot of games? Certainly.”
FSU and Concord met just once during the regular season way back on Dec. 8 in Athens. The Falcons won that contest, 83-69.
“Here’s what I know for sure,” said Murphy. “With all due respect to Concord and coach Cox, I’m not so much worried about what they do Tuesday. I’m more worried about what we’re going to do. The big question for our guys is are they going to bring it and are they going to give a good effort for 40 minutes. Our sole purpose and focus Tuesday needs to be on doing whatever we have to do to get a victory.”
Since losing leading scorer sophomore guard Steve Custis to a torn meniscus in his knee in the Wheeling Jesuit game on Feb. 15 the Falcons have gone just 2-3. Custis had successful surgery to remove the torn portion of the meniscus on Feb. 19. There’s an outside chance Custis may return to play for FSU this week in the WVC Tournament.
As noted, Fairmont’s men have not fared well in the league tournament in quite some time. The Falcons haven’t won the tourney since 1984 and haven’t made it past the quarterfinals since 2001.
The winner of tonight’s FSU-Concord game will face the No. 5 Charleston (17-10, 15-7)-No. 12 Glenville State (7-20, 6-16) winner on Thursday evening at 8:30 p.m. in the quarterfinals of the WVC Tournament at the Charleston Civic Center.
