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Fayetteville State men's basketball notched its first NCAA Division II Tournament win Saturday night, 74-67 (OT) over reigning Atlantic Region champion Fairmont State in West Liberty, West Virginia.
The Broncos (23-8) led by as many as 17 before the Falcons (27-5) stormed back to force overtime, where Fayetteville State outscored Fairmont State 18-11.
Fayetteville State moves on to face top seed and region host West Liberty on Sunday (7:30 p.m.).
Isaiah Ray stepped up to lead the Broncos with 23 points, including 3 of 3 from 3-point range. Tairell Fletcher, a D2CCA All-Atlantic Region first-teamer, added 17 points and Caleb Simmons, also a D2CCA All-Atlantic Region selection, had 14 points and 11 boards as Fayetteville State outrebound Fairmont State 43-27.
The No. 4-seeded Broncos led 33-20 at halftime, and a 3-pointer from Ray put them up 45-28 with 14:18 remaining in the game. The fifth-seeded Falcons responded with a 22-7 run to cut their deficit to 52-50 with 4:22 left on the clock, and another spurt put them up 56-54 with 1:55 remaining.
Fairmont was sparked by nine 3-pointers on a 29-point night for Rudy Fitzgibbons III, who shot 50% from the floor. But it wasn't enough.
Ray got a steal on the sideline and found Myles Pierre on the break. He finished the layup to tie the game at 56 with just 29 seconds remaining, and the Broncos' defense held.
Fayetteville State trailed early in overtime, but it was Ray again who made a play in the clutch with a go-ahead mid-range jumper with 1:15 on the clock. Simmons went to the floor to come up with a loose ball on the Falcons' next possession and he got the ball to Ray, who drew a foul and converted both free throws to put the Broncos up by four with 59 seconds left.
Fayetteville State iced it at the line from there, making 5 of 6 free throws in the final seconds and 21 of 26 in the game.
The Broncos are making their second NCAA Tournament appearance in four seasons. They return to the tournament after winning the program's first CIAA championship in almost 50 years with a 2022 squad led by Jalen Seegars. Before that, FSU's last NCAA tournament appearance came in 1993 when the team was coached by Jeff Capel Jr.
The Broncos had never won an NCAA Division II Tournament game prior to Saturday's victory. They defeated Eckerd 95-66 in the 1973 NCAA College Division Tournament in the South Atlantic Region opener. That was prior to the three-division era when the NCAA was divided into College and University divisions. Fayetteville State was defeated by Old Dominion in its next game, the regional semifinal, 80-74, and then defeated Loyola (Md.) 81-66 in the region's third-place game.
Fayetteville State was one of three CIAA teams in the 2025 Atlantic Region bracket — the first time the league sent three teams since 2005 when current Broncos coach Luke D'Alessio was at Bowie State and led the Bulldogs to a No. 1 seed in the Atlantic with league-mates Winston-Salem State and eventual national champion Virginia Union.
This year Bluefield State, which eliminated FSU in the CIAA semifinals, made the field along with No. 3-seeded Virginia State, which won its NCAA opener against No. 6 West Chester and faces No. 2 Gannon on Sunday (5 p.m.). Bluefield State earned the No. 8 seed and fell to No. 1 West Liberty on Saturday, 91-84.
In Friday's NCAA Division II women's basketball tournament first-round game, Atlantic Region No. 2 seed Gannon defeated No. 7 Fayetteville State 60-50 at Edinboro, Pennsylvania.
The Broncos (21-8), coming off a second straight CIAA tournament championship, were looking to build on last season's Sweet 16 run, but fell to the same team that ousted them last year.
Shots just weren't falling for Fayetteville State, which made just 15 of 58 attempts. Talia Trotter led FSU with 10 points and five rebounds while Keayna McLaughlin and Daziyahna Wilson added seven apiece.
"We had a good season," Broncos coach Tyreece Brown said. "I am proud of our team and our seniors who never gave up till the final buzzer. It was a great journey and a great group of seniors that helped build the foundation of a nationally recognized team. Within the past two years, they got 50 wins, back-to-back [CIAA] titles, two NCAA appearances with two wins in the NCAA [Tournament]. They will always be remembered."
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: NCAA D2 men's basketball tournament 2025 Fayetteville State
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The Broncos (23-8) led by as many as 17 before the Falcons (27-5) stormed back to force overtime, where Fayetteville State outscored Fairmont State 18-11.
Fayetteville State moves on to face top seed and region host West Liberty on Sunday (7:30 p.m.).
Isaiah Ray stepped up to lead the Broncos with 23 points, including 3 of 3 from 3-point range. Tairell Fletcher, a D2CCA All-Atlantic Region first-teamer, added 17 points and Caleb Simmons, also a D2CCA All-Atlantic Region selection, had 14 points and 11 boards as Fayetteville State outrebound Fairmont State 43-27.
The No. 4-seeded Broncos led 33-20 at halftime, and a 3-pointer from Ray put them up 45-28 with 14:18 remaining in the game. The fifth-seeded Falcons responded with a 22-7 run to cut their deficit to 52-50 with 4:22 left on the clock, and another spurt put them up 56-54 with 1:55 remaining.
Fairmont was sparked by nine 3-pointers on a 29-point night for Rudy Fitzgibbons III, who shot 50% from the floor. But it wasn't enough.
Ray got a steal on the sideline and found Myles Pierre on the break. He finished the layup to tie the game at 56 with just 29 seconds remaining, and the Broncos' defense held.
Fayetteville State trailed early in overtime, but it was Ray again who made a play in the clutch with a go-ahead mid-range jumper with 1:15 on the clock. Simmons went to the floor to come up with a loose ball on the Falcons' next possession and he got the ball to Ray, who drew a foul and converted both free throws to put the Broncos up by four with 59 seconds left.
Fayetteville State iced it at the line from there, making 5 of 6 free throws in the final seconds and 21 of 26 in the game.
The Broncos are making their second NCAA Tournament appearance in four seasons. They return to the tournament after winning the program's first CIAA championship in almost 50 years with a 2022 squad led by Jalen Seegars. Before that, FSU's last NCAA tournament appearance came in 1993 when the team was coached by Jeff Capel Jr.
The Broncos had never won an NCAA Division II Tournament game prior to Saturday's victory. They defeated Eckerd 95-66 in the 1973 NCAA College Division Tournament in the South Atlantic Region opener. That was prior to the three-division era when the NCAA was divided into College and University divisions. Fayetteville State was defeated by Old Dominion in its next game, the regional semifinal, 80-74, and then defeated Loyola (Md.) 81-66 in the region's third-place game.
Fayetteville State was one of three CIAA teams in the 2025 Atlantic Region bracket — the first time the league sent three teams since 2005 when current Broncos coach Luke D'Alessio was at Bowie State and led the Bulldogs to a No. 1 seed in the Atlantic with league-mates Winston-Salem State and eventual national champion Virginia Union.
This year Bluefield State, which eliminated FSU in the CIAA semifinals, made the field along with No. 3-seeded Virginia State, which won its NCAA opener against No. 6 West Chester and faces No. 2 Gannon on Sunday (5 p.m.). Bluefield State earned the No. 8 seed and fell to No. 1 West Liberty on Saturday, 91-84.
Fayetteville State women fall to Gannon
In Friday's NCAA Division II women's basketball tournament first-round game, Atlantic Region No. 2 seed Gannon defeated No. 7 Fayetteville State 60-50 at Edinboro, Pennsylvania.
The Broncos (21-8), coming off a second straight CIAA tournament championship, were looking to build on last season's Sweet 16 run, but fell to the same team that ousted them last year.
Shots just weren't falling for Fayetteville State, which made just 15 of 58 attempts. Talia Trotter led FSU with 10 points and five rebounds while Keayna McLaughlin and Daziyahna Wilson added seven apiece.
"We had a good season," Broncos coach Tyreece Brown said. "I am proud of our team and our seniors who never gave up till the final buzzer. It was a great journey and a great group of seniors that helped build the foundation of a nationally recognized team. Within the past two years, they got 50 wins, back-to-back [CIAA] titles, two NCAA appearances with two wins in the NCAA [Tournament]. They will always be remembered."
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: NCAA D2 men's basketball tournament 2025 Fayetteville State
Continue reading...
