CHARLESTON, WV — Despite a prolific scoring performance from Zahki Fallen, the Salem University Tigers (6-7) dropped a 85-64 decision to the University of Charleston on Saturday at H. Bernard Wehrle Arena. After trailing by only five points at halftime, the Tigers were unable to withstand a second-half offensive barrage from the Golden Eagles.

Fallen Leads the Charge

Zahki Fallen was the undisputed bright spot for the Tigers, accounting for nearly half of the team's total points.

• Fallen finished with a game-high 29 points on 9-of-18 shooting from the floor.

• He was lethal from beyond the arc, connecting on 5-of-8 three-point attempts.

• Fallen also contributed on the defensive end, leading the team with 4 steals while adding 5 rebounds.

Tigers Show Grit Early

Salem proved they could compete with the Golden Eagles in a tightly contested first half. The Tigers briefly took the lead at 22-20 following a Fallen three-pointer with just under eight minutes remaining in the period. Xavier Price was also instrumental in keeping the game close early, finishing the night with 13 points and leading the team with 4 blocks.

The Tigers dominated the glass throughout the afternoon, out-rebounding Charleston 37-34. This effort was led by Justin Fisher and Ezekiel Birchett, who both hauled in 5 rebounds apiece. Salem also made the most of their trips to the charity stripe, shooting a solid 76.2% from the free-throw line.

Bench and Turnovers Prove Costly

The game got away from Salem in the second half as Charleston's depth took over.

• Salem's bench was outscored 44-8 by the Charleston reserves.
• The Tigers struggled with ball security, committing 18 turnovers which led to 25 Charleston points.
• In contrast, Salem managed only 4 points off Charleston's 11 turnovers.

Inside the Box Score

• Second Chance Opportunities: Salem capitalized on 11 offensive rebounds to score 13 second-chance points.
• Long Range Shooting: The Tigers shot 40% from three-point range (8-for-20), out-shooting Charleston by percentage (37.2%) even though the Golden Eagles made more total threes.
• Balanced Effort: Carl Toomer played a team-high 35 minutes, contributing 12 points and 2 steals.

The Tigers remain on the road for their next contest as they look to return to the .500 mark.