GAME PHOTOS

WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – Fairmont State shot 60 percent from the floor in the second half to come from behind for a 72-62 victory against a short-handed West Liberty University women's basketball team Thursday night at the ASRC.

Kaitlin Snyder scored 20 of her game-high 33 points after intermission to rally the Falcons (8-4, 5-3) past the Hilltoppers (7-6, 4-3), who were playing without ailing senior standout Kayla Ayers.

The leading 3-point shooter in the WVIAC and a 16.5 ppg. scorer, Ayers was sidelined by flu-like symptoms for the second time in the past three games.

“We knew we were going to see a lot of zone tonight,” West Liberty coach Lynn Ullom said, “especially without Kayla but that wasn't why we lost. Nobody wants to take 17 points out of your lineup but you can make up for that with hustle plays and taking care of the basketball.

“We made 10 3-pointers without having Kayla on the floor so we shot the ball well enough to win. The problem was we got beat to every loose ball and turned it over too many times to give ourselves a chance.You can't defend breakaway layups.”

Fairmont erased West Liberty's 30-26 halftime lead by opening the second half on a 19-5 run. Snyder capped the run with a steal and runout layup for the game's first double-digit lead, 45-35, with 13:22 remaining.

The Hilltoppers trimmed the margin to 51-48 on a Bri Kamerec 3-pointer as the clock ticked past the 10-minute mark but couldn't come any closer as the Falcons slowly pulled away down the stretch.

Hillary Southworth led the Hilltoppers with 20 points while Kamerec tossed in a career-high 17 points – including 5 3-pointers. Emily Blevins added 9 points and a game-high 12 rebounds.

Snyder, who leads the WVIAC in scoring at 22.9 ppg., had 9 rebounds and 7 assists to go along with her 33 points. Hailey Garrett was Fairmont's only other double-figure scorer with 13 points.

West Liberty remains at home to host Bluefield State Saturday at 2 p.m.