Wheeling, W.Va. – Glenville State (14-15) would play a hard fought contest but came up just short as they fell to Fairmont State (23-6) in the MEC Tournament Quarterfinals on Friday by seven, 77-70.
 
GSC had two players score over 20 points as Hegel Augustin posted a team-high 23 points while Steven Verplancken finished with 20 points.
 
How It Happened
 
First Half:
 
Fairmont State would score first but then GSC's Steven Verplancken would get the first two-points for the Pioneers on a layup as he tied the contest up early at 2-2. The Pioneers took the first lead of the game on the next possession as Phil Bledsoe knocked down two free-throws as they led 4-2 at the 18:17 mark.
 
Glenville State then went on a small 7-0 run as they led 9-2 at the 16:40 minute mark. However, the Fighting Falcons then made a run of their own as they outscored the Pioneers 17-2 as Fairmont took a 19-11 lead with 10:30 to play.
 
Phil Bledsoe would put a stop to FSU's run as he netted a corner three making it 19-14 as the Pioneers
hit the second media timeout of the first half with 9:46 to play.
 
The Pioneers then went on an 8-0 run and tied the game up at 19-19 as Hegel Augustin drilled a three-pointer with 5:51 left in the half.
 
But Fairmont would take the lead into the break at 33-30 as they outscored GSC 14-11 in the last five minutes of play but Najee Scott would drill huge three from the corner for the Pioneers as time expired.
 
Glenville State shot 33% from the field and 29% from deep as they went 6-for-21. Fairmont State shot 43% and 36% from deep in the first half. The Fighting Falcons scored 12 points in the paint while GSC had 10 in the first half.
  
Second Half:
 
Fairmont State opened up the second half on an 8-3 run as they held a 41-33 lead at the 17:05 minute mark. The Pioneers would respond and score six quick points but FSU would also score six the Fighting Falcons held a 47-39 lead at the first media timeout with 13:39 to play.
 
The Pioneers then went on a run as they 13-10 run and made 4-out-of-5 field goals as they pulled within four points 56-52 but the Fighting Falcons then connected on a three-pointer by Dale Bonner as they went back up by seven with under nine minutes to play.
 
The Pioneers then went on a 9-0 scoring run as they pulled within one, 64-63 with five minute left in the contest. GSC's charge was led by Hegel Augustin as he scored seven of the nine points.
  
FSU would respond with a three-point play but again the Pioneers answered as Verplancken hit a corner three making it again a one-point game 67-66 with three minutes to play.
 
But again Fairmont State would answer as they made a 7-3 run as they held a 74-69 lead with 1:03 to play. Fairmont State outscored Glenville State in the final three minutes 10-1 as FSU would hold on to defeat GSC, 77-70.
 
Inside The Box Score
 
Glenville State finished the game shooting 36% from the field and 28% from deep as they went 13-for-40. Fairmont State shot 49% from the field and 31% from behind the arc.
 
GSC won the rebounding battle by one, 39-38. However, FSU had 20 fast break points while the Pioneers had just three.
 
Fairmont State turned the ball over 15 times while Glenville State had 13 turnovers.
 
Hegel Augustin posted 23 points hitting 5-of-14 three-pointers while grabbing seven rebounds. Steven Verplancken finished with 20 points and four assists.
 
Phil Bledsoe posted his final career double-double as a Pioneer, scoring 16 points and pulling down 13 rebounds.
 
Fairmont State was led by Dale Bonner as he had a game-high 24 points, five rebounds, and five assists. Kenzie Melko-Marshall finished with 22 points and seven boards.
 
Coming Up
 
The season now comes to an end for the Pioneers.