Falcons rack up fifth straight win, Wednesday beating Wheeling at home

Feb. 16—FAIRMONT — With three games to go until conference tournament play, things are coming together for the Fairmont State Falcons women.

The Falcons beat the Wheeling Cardinals 65-42 on Wednesday for their fifth straight win — their longest streak this season.

"I think our kids are playing extremely hard and extremely well together," Fairmont State head coach Stephanie Anderson said. "We're focusing a lot defensively and that's helping to open up some things offensively for us. Our kids are focused and playing hard and playing together."

Fairmont State's Leslie Huffman scored 18 points, a game-high, to lead the Falcons, the freshman showing serious toughness in the process. Huffman took a hard fall to the floor after converting a layup and drawing a foul at the start of the second quarter, a laceration above her eye left her bloodied, and was helped off the court by the team's trainer.

Huffman made her return to the court in the same quarter, coming in with 3:00 to play in the second.

Shooting 50% from the floor and making two of her three 3-point attempts, Anderson was more impressed by Huffman's hustle. Huffman was undeterred by the bandage she was sporting above her right eye in diving to the floor and mixing things up inside.

"I love how hard she plays, that's the biggest thing," Anderson said. "She dove on I don't know how many loose balls today, she hits her head and comes back in. She plays extremely hard and she puts herself in good positions."

Fairmont State trailed by one point at the end of the first quarter, 14-13, before entering halftime tied at 27.

While Wheeling out-rebounded Fairmont 13-9 in the first quarter, an edge that helped the Cardinals fend off the Falcons' was outside shooting. Fairmont State punched back in the second, and out-rebounded Wheeling 13-7, with a 7-2 offensive rebounding advantage.

There would be no swing back to Wheeling's side in the second half. A fiery start to the third quarter turned a tied ball game into a nine-point Falcons' lead after a deep 3 from Alyssa DeAngelo put Fairmont State ahead 40-31 with 5:15 to play in the third.

Crucial to the third-quarter scoring run was an increase in tempo for the Falcons, who got good looks, even from 3-point range, early in the shot clock by pushing the ball with purpose after a miss or turnover.

Junior point guard Madeline Huffman played the part of maestro for Fairmont's reinvigorated transition attack in the third, and ended the game with three of the Falcons' 11 team assists.

"She's pushing the ball extremely well," Anderson said of Huffman. "She plays really well in the open court, we love whenever we get action through her in transition. She's continued to make great decisions and it's working out well."

The Falcons kept their rebounding advantage, and shot 8-17 from the field while holding Wheeling to a 4-14 showing in the third. Fairmont led 45-35 after the third quarter.

Fairmont outscored Wheeling 38-15 in the second half, a continuation of a trend for the Falcons recently. Fairmont State has scored more points in the second half than the first in seven of their last 10 games, earning the title of a "second-half team" through that stretch.

"I don't know if it's just a comfort thing or what, but our kids love that sense of urgency in the second half, and they do a good job with that," Anderson said.

Transition opportunities helped the Falcons, but it was their job on defense that enabled those opportunities. The speed with which Fairmont State played began on the point-preventing end, forcing 14 Cardinal turnovers in the second half, and 24 in total. The Falcons scored 17 points off turnovers Wednesday.

Jertaya Hall scored 10 for Fairmont State, while DeAngelo scored nine and Madeline Huffman scored eight. Jalen Gibbs finished with four and Aaliyah Brunny finished with one.

Shamia Strayhorn led Wheeling with 13, teammate Lauren Calhoun joined her in double figures with 11 points to go with 13 rebounds.

Fairmont State plays West Liberty on the road Saturday at 2:00 p.m.

Reach Nick Henthorn at 304-367-2548, on Twitter @nfhenthorn_135 or by email at nhenthorn@timeswv.com.