Shepherd had some areas of positive note — such as the first and fourth quarters and a huge rebounding edge — but couldn’t sustain them and the result was a 66-63 loss to Fairmont in the season’s final regular season game.

A 22-12 lead after one quarter was gone too soon as the Falcons drew within two points by halftime. And then the Rams could manage only three field in the third quarter to fall back, 53-46.

Even a resurgent fourth period where they tied the game couldn’t save the Rams because they missed too many free throws in the waning moments.

Shepherd completed the season with a 7-21 record while the Falcons improved to 18-10. Both teams joined the league’s 10 other teams in this week’s Mountain East Conference tournament.

In its most impressive rebounding showing of the entire season, Shepherd claimed 42 missed shots and the Falcons had only 31 rebounds. Kari Lankford had 13 rebounds for the Rams.

Fairmont’s dead-eye free throw shooting was enough to overcome its mundane field goal accuracy. Katie Nunan made 13-of-14 free throws as the Falcons went 24-of-28 as a team. Morgan Arden was 10-for-10 from the foul line for the Rams. But Shepherd connected on just 37.7 percent of its field goal attempts.

Shepherd entered the conference tournament as the 10th seed and had to travel to play Charleston in Tuesday’s first round. The Rams fell, 84-73, to the Golden Eagles despite 37 points from Arden and their season closed with a 7-22 overall record.