Strong Efforts from Baker, Simmons Not Enough in Men's Basketball Loss to Pioneers

WHEELING, W. Va. – The Frostburg State Men's Basketball team concluded their season with a 74-71 loss to Point Park in the first round of the MEC Tournament Wednesday night.
 
The Pioneers began the scoring with a three, to which senior JayShaun Freeman responded with one of his own, while junior Chase Whippen added a layup off a feed from classmate Jaden Baker to lead 5-3 two and a half minutes in. Each side traded free throws and baskets over the next seven minutes, neither leading by more than two until Baker found freshman Trey Simmons for a triple that broke a 13-13 tie. It turned out to be just the start of the pairing working the offense, with Simmons knocking down back-to-back makes with Baker the provider, then the latter found Whippen for another that put the Bobcats ahead 25-17.
 
FSU didn't have another field goal for the next three minutes, while PPU scored on six consecutive trips down the floor to take a two-point lead, while Simmons continued to find his range to give Frostburg a narrow 31-30 advantage with three to play in the half. Point Park got a layup to fall to go back ahead, while the Bobcats failed to convert on their final five possessions, allowing the Pioneers to hit a last-second three to go into the break ahead 34-31.
 
Senior Koby Baptiste opened the second period by converting an and-one, while Whippen hit from deep a minute later to tie things at 37-all. PPU responded with a layup and three, with Simmons converting at the basket in response. The Pioneers continuously got to the rim, as a layup and dunk on back-to-back possessions gave them the largest lead for either team at 51-42 seven minutes in.
 
Frostburg's defensive pressure ramped up over the next four minutes, causing three Point Park turnovers as graduate Eric Sondberg and redshirt freshman Blake Burrows knocked down a pair of treys while Baker drive to the cup and split a trip to the line to suddenly tie the game at 51-51. Once again the Pioneers reasserted their control, making a layup and three to go back up five.
 
Baker scored a pair of lay-ins either side of sophomore Zane McCarty converting from behind the arc, with another one-for-two at the stripe bringing FSU within 62-59. His final layup, however, would be the Bobcats' only field goal over a four-minute stretch, while Point Park extended their lead to 68-63 with just a minute to go. As time ticked down, Baptiste and Baker combined to make four free throws, with the latter adding another layup and triple in attempts of getting back in the game, but PPU didn't miss any of their final eight free throw attempts. The final two at the line put the Pioneers up by six, as Baker hit one last three to bring the final to 74-71.
 
Simmons led FSU with 21 points and five made threes, while Baker enjoyed a double-double of 18 points and a career-high 13 assists, tied for the second-most in a game in program history.
 
With the loss, Frostburg ends their season at 12-17, while Point Park advances to face Fairmont State in the Quarterfinal round. The nine-win improvement from 2023-24 to this season is the most for the program since a 14-win difference from 1999-00 to 2000-01.