MONTGOMERY - Even though the matchup between WVU Tech and West Virginia State only counted in the standings for one team, the intensity was at an extremely high level for both teams throughout.
The Yellow Jackets and Golden Bears battled down the stretch, but in the end State was able to pull out an 84-81 victory over Tech at the Baisi Athletic Complex Saturday evening.
The game was the season opener for Tech (0-1), which celebrated homecoming as well. For State, the matchup just counted as an exhibition.
Despite the game not counting for his team, State coach Bryan Poore believes a lot can be taken from the contest.
"Any time you put your uniform on and not practice gear, it's a good situation for us to be in," Poore said. "And to be able to pull it out, give our guys some confidence and make them feel good about it, makes it even better."
Tech gets an opportunity to bounce back from the loss as it gets right back on the court today at home against Ohio Eastern.
"We have a lot of work to do," Tech coach Bob Williams said. "We have another game, so we have to bounce back quick. We have so many new guys and not as much depth and size we were hoping to have. Our team will get better as the season goes along."
In a foul-filled contest in which both teams were in the double bonus the last 10 minutes of the game and five different players fouled out between the two teams, it came right down to the wire.
State led most of the second half by as many as 13 points before Tech battled back to tie it at 78 with 2:06 left on a banked-in runner in the lane from former South Charleston standout Eddie Gordon.
The Jackets' Markee Mazyck was fouled with 1:59 remaining and made his first free throw before missing the second. However, Robert Fomby got the offensive rebound off the miss and putback, giving State an 81-78 lead.
Tech had several opportunities on its next possession but couldn't cash in. Patrick Gnagbo missed two free throws but the Golden Bears got the offensive rebound.
Gordon missed a mid-range jumper but Tech once again got the board. On their third chance on the possession, Ryan Atkins turned the ball over for the Golden Bears.
Tech had another chance to tie after a State miss but Atkins missed a 3-pointer with 16.2 seconds to play and Mazyck made two free throws to give the Yellow Jackets an 83-78 lead. Tech got no closer than three the rest of the way.
Williams indicated the offensive putback by Fomby was one of the biggest plays of the game.
"It was a huge play in the game," Williams said. "I had just said in the huddle that we had to block out on the free throw, and then we get bullied underneath the basket and the guy lays it in."
Both State and Tech have a lot of new faces on their respective teams. Of the 10 that played for the Yellow Jackets, only four played last season. For Tech, only three competed last year.
However, despite mostly new rosters, both State and Tech return standouts from last season and they were relied on heavily Saturday.
Mazyck finished with a game-high 38 points for State, including hitting 11 of 16 from the floor, 3 of 6 from 3-point range and 13 of from the free-throw line.
Meanwhile, Gordon scored a career-high 29 points, including 8 of 14 from the floor, 4 of 5 from long range and a perfect 9 of 9 at the foul line. Tech lost its top four scorers from last season.
"Eddie really played great and was tough," Williams said. "That's a career high for him. He did a great job and it's nice to see him play well like that. We didn't have answer for Mazyck. He beat us basically single-handedly."
West Virginia State opens its regular season on Friday, Nov. 13 against visiting Chowan at the Walker Convocation Center.