FAIRMONT, W.Va. – The Bloomsburg men's basketball team dropped its season-opener, 98-56, to Fairmont State at the Joe Retton Classic on Friday night.
 
Courtney Davis II (Gainesville, Va./Patriot) posted a team-leading 15 points in the contest while going 11-for-13 from the free throw line. Ries Naugle (Selinsgrove, Pa./Selinsgrove Area) finished with eight points while RJ Young (Lebanon, Pa./Cedar Crest) and Kaaba Murray (Harrisburg, Pa./Skyline Prep) each notched six coming off the bench.
 
As a team, the maroon and gold shot 16-for-43 (37.2 percent) from the floor and 5-for-16 (31.3 percent) from three-point territory. The first half saw the Huskies shoot 7-for-17 (41.2 percent). The Fighting Falcons posted an impressive 58.6 shooting percentage (34-for-58) while tallying 11 threes in the contest.
 
Fairmont State (1-0) took hold of the momentum early, jumping ahead to 6-0 lead over Bloomsburg (0-1) in the opening two minutes. George Sabatini (Mountain Top, Pa./Holy Redeemer) got the Huskies on the board, driving from the top of the arc and converting a tough layup. From there the maroon and gold continued to stay within three possessions for much of the first half. The final seven minutes of the half saw the Fighting Falcons outscore Bloomsburg 27-12 to take a 52-29 lead into halftime.
 
A five-point run from Fairmont State to start the second half advanced the lead to 28 before Naeem Purnell-Northern (Darby, Pa./Penn Wood) drained a three-pointer to put an end to the run. The Huskies were unable to close the gap on the Fighting Falcons, falling 98-56 to open the season.
 
Bloomsburg is right back on the court on Saturday, November 15 as they face off against Salem at 5:30 in its final game at the Joe Retton Classic.