The West Virginia State men's basketball career of Robert Fomby lasted a total of eight games, and now the Yellow Jackets will be without their top rebounder entering Thursday's game against the University of Charleston.
Fomby, a junior, was dismissed from the roster for team rule violations, West Virginia State coach Bryan Poore said. He had just come off a five-game suspension along with teammates Ron Whaley and Keith Harris, played against Glenville State, but was off the team before Monday night's loss at West Virginia Wesleyan.
The 6-foot-2, 210-pound junior transferred from Cuyahoga Community College in Ohio this season and immediately emerged as one of State's best post players. Through his eight games, he averaged 17.1 points, second best on the team, and a team-best 8.1 rebounds.
In his lone game after his suspension, he scored a game-high 36 points with 16 rebounds and six assists in the Yellow Jackets' 102-97 win over Glenville, which snapped State's five-game losing streak.
Now West Virginia State (5-10, 4-4 Mountain East Conference) must find someone who can make up for Fomby's loss both on the scoring line and the boards. Only two other Yellow Jackets average double figures in points - leading scorer Markee Mazyck (21.8 points per game) and freshman Frank Webb (11.3). Harris (5.2 rebounds per game) is State's leading remaining rebounder, Mazyck and Terrence Jenkins each average 5.1 rebounds.
The Yellow Jackets felt Fomby's absence against Wesleyan. The Bobcats outrebounded State 40-27.
"Cody [Morris] has been coming along, so he's got to rebound for us," Poore said. "And with scoring, he's been attacking a little bit better and getting more comfortable. And we really need Keith Harris to step up. It's time for him to step up and be a factor for us."
West Virginia State, which hosts UC at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Walker Convocation Center, has lost six of its last seven games against the Golden Eagles (9-7, 6-4 MEC), including one game in the West Virginia Conference tournament.