By Duane Cochran
For the Times West Virginian
FAIRMONT — The tasks will be tall for Fairmont State’s men’s and women’s basketball teams who both qualified together for the NCAA Division II Basketball Tournament for the first time in school history.
FSU’s men, who are 22-7 overall, will be making their fifth appearance in the D-II Tournament, but their first since 2000 and their first under sixth-year head coach Tim Murphy.
Fairmont’s men are 4-4 in their history in the NCAA Division II Tournament. Ironically two of FSU’s four national tourney losses have come against this year’s foe Indiana (Pa.) University. The Crimson Hawks eliminated FSU 84-83 in the second round of the 1996 East Regional at California (Pa.) University and 79-73 in the first round of the 2000 East Regional which was played at the University of Charleston’s Eddie King Gymnasium.
IUP (28-2) comes into this year’s Atlantic Regional as the No. 1 overall seed. FSU is seeded eighth. The pair will square off in opening-round action Saturday evening at 7:30 p.m. at IUP’s Memorial Field House.
The Crimson Hawks are making their ninth appearance in the NCAA tournament and second in a row. IUP has an overall record of 14-8 in NCAA postseason play including region titles in 1994, 1995, 2000 and 2002.
Indiana (Pa.) University is led by 6-3 senior guard Thomas Young, who averages 16.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game and 6-6 junior forward Darryl Webb, who averages 15.3 points and 9.9 rebounds per outing.
The Crimson Hawks also get 15.3 points and 7.8 rebounds per contest from 6-9 senior forward Akida McLain, a transfer from Boston College and 10.0 points per game from 6-3 sophomore guard Julian Sanders.
IUP comes into the regional riding a 10-game winning streak. The only two losses of the season for the Crimson Hawks, who are a perfect 15-0 at home this year, came Jan. 10 in double overtime on the road at Cheyney (88-84) and Feb. 7 on the road at Clarion (71-62).
Fairmont State is 2-7 all-time in games versus IUP.
Saturday’s first game at Memorial Field House at 5 p.m. will feature fourth-seeded West Virginia State (28-3) taking on fifth-seeded East Stroudsburg (24-5).
In women’s action, eighth-seeded Fairmont State (22-9) will take on top-seeded Gannon (Pa.) University at 6 p.m. Friday in opening-round play of the Atlantic Regional at Gannon’s Hammermill Center.
This is the third overall trip to the NCAA D-II Tournament for the Lady Falcons and their third in the last six seasons. FSU’s women are 1-2 in NCAA postseason play.
Gannon, on the other hand, is making its seventh appearance overall in the D-II Tourney and its second in a row. The Lady Golden Knights reached the “Sweet 16” last year before falling to California (Pa.) University in the Atlantic Regional title game.
Gannon, which is hosting an NCAA women’s regional for the first time in school history, brings a perfect 33-0 record into Friday’s game with FSU. The Lady Golden Knights are also ranked No. 1 in the nation.
Gannon is led by Kristina Freeman, a 5-9 senior guard who averages 14.0 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Freeman is also the team leader in steals (68), blocked shots (35) and is second in assists with 101.
The Lady Golden Knight also get 12.4 points and 3.8 rebounds per game from 5-10 senior guard Carrie Nolan and 11.5 points and 8.4 rebounds per contest from 6-2 senior forward Brittany Tabron. Five other Gannon players average between 5.0 and 9.4 points per game.
Fairmont State is 2-3 all-time in games versus Gannon, including a 71-65 loss last season in the annual Concord University Tip-Off Classic.
Friday’s other game at the Hammermill Center will feature fourth-seeded Fayetteville State (20-9) taking on fifth-seeded Seton Hill (22-7) at 8:30 p.m.
