FAIRMONT, W.Va. – The Bloomsburg men's basketball team fell in its first contest of the 2024-25 season, losing 100-84 against Fairmont State at the Joe Retton Classic on Friday night.
 
Graduate guard Louie Wild (Philadelphia, PA/Roman Catholic) led the charge for Bloomsburg (0-1), posting team-highs in points (19), rebounds (6) and assists (4). Wild went 6-for-17 (35.3 percent) from the floor and 5-for-10 (50.0 percent) from beyond the arc.
 
Matt Bengel (Erie, Pa./Mercyhurst Prep) finished just behind Wild with 18 points including 8-for-16 shooting while Kent Olewiler (York, Pa./William Penn) posted 16 points off the bench. Olewiler 6-for-11 (54.5 percent) from the floor and 4-for-6 (66.7 percent) from three-point territory.
 
As a team, the Huskies shot 48.5 percent (32-for-66) in the contest while going 12-for-24 (50.0 percent) from beyond the arc. Fairmont State (1-0) went 39-for-73 (53.4 percent) from the floor.
 
Bengel recorded the first points of the season for Bloomsburg, banking a floater off the glass to open the scoring 28 seconds in. After the Fighting Falcons went ahead 9-5, Danny Bruce (Edinboro, Pa./General McLane) and Wild each sank a three to take the lead.
 
The two programs continued to trade baskets throughout the half with Bloomsburg scoring from all over the court to keep the game within two possessions. The Huskies feel behind 29-25 with eight minutes to play in the half before going on an 8-0 run to regain control.
 
Bloomsburg held the lead for almost the entire rest of the half, thanks in part to Wild and Olewiler each draining a pair of threes in a sequence that saw four-straight triples from the maroon and gold. A late layup from Fairmont State's Andre Harris gave the Fighting Falcons a 49-48 lead entering halftime.
 
Much like the first half, it didn't take Bengel long to fins the basket, giving the Huskies the lead back with a layup 17 seconds in. After the 13th lead change of the game put FSU ahead 53-52, the Huskies kept pace until they tied the game at 69 apiece.
 
A seven-point run from Fairmont State saw the Fighting Falcons take the largest lead of the game thus far before the Huskies pulled the score back within four at 79-75. From there FSU went on a 21-5 run to take the victory, 100-84.
 
Bloomsburg returns to action on Saturday, November 9 for the second game of the Joe Retton Classic as they take on West Virginia Wesleyan at 5:30 p.m.