The Notre Dame College Falcons (16-10 12-8 MEC) start the final week of Mountain East Conference regular season play as they battle #8 West Liberty (23-3 18-2 MEC) in the home finale at Murphy Gymasium. Tip time is slated for tomorrow (Wednesday) at 7:30 PM. You can catch all the action on the Mountain East Digital Network at MountainEast.TV
"A game that has some meaning for the end of the year standings, "NDC head coach Mark Richmond mentioned. Another big opportunity for our team to play a nationally ranked team at home in late February. I know our guys are looking forward to it. We will be well prepared and ready for the challenge."
"We have to take care of our home floor, "NDC guard Gbolahan Adio said. West Lib has a unique style of play so we have to prepare for it. Other than that if we just set the tone on defense and execute on offense, we will be good."
Jamarr Talbert agreed:
"We have to protect our home floor. The last home game in 'The Murph' this year. We want to go out with a bang."
NDC lost 86-78 at West Virginia State last time out. Tyland Crawford tied a season high with 18 points, Obinna Ugwuakazi set a career high with 17 points and pulled down a career high tying 16 rebounds for the second straight game. The trio of Jaedon Willis (12,) DeAirius Barker (11,) and Daylin Lee (10) all scored in double figures.
Richmond talked about rebounding:
"We will have to do a great job rebounding the ball against one of the best teams in the country. Obi has taken a huge step rebounding wise. We have to do a good job helping him. We can't rely on him getting every single one. Particularly in this game where they take longer and quicker shots. We have to get loose balls and the guards have to help us on the longer ones."
In the first meeting with West Liberty back in November Willis scored 26 and Barker added 10 in a losing effort.
Richmond talked about the NDC backcourt feeding off each other:
"DeAirius and Jaedon play well off of each other. Usually when one plays well the other does the same. Both guys bring their best effort every night. They put in a lot of time and energy. They deserve to do well."
"We have to be efficient offensively, and really dialed in defensively, "Wills explained. We need to limit our turnovers and get great shots. If we do all that the game will be right where we need it to be."
NDC is averaging 82.1 points per game which is sixth in the MEC. On the defensive end the Falcons are giving up 75.6 points per game which is second in the MEC. The Falcons are 11th in the league shooting 44.3 percent from the floor while defensively they hold the opposition to a league leading 42.3 percent shooting on that end of the floor. NDC shoots 37.2 percent from the 3-point line which is good for fourth in the conference, while defensively the opposition only shoots 29 percent from 3-point land. The Falcons are second in the MEC shooting at a 77.2 percent clip from the free throw line. On the glass NDC is eighth in the conference as they get 0.3 (38.4-38.1) rebounds per night more than the opposition. The Falcons are second in the conference in turnover margin as well (13.4-14.6 turnovers per contest:)
Richmond talked protecting the ball:
"We will have to be real disciplined. We will have to be organized. When you get tired they will try and wear you down. That's when you have to stay disciplined. That's how the 10-0 and 12-0 type runs happen. We will need to take care of the ball so we get a shot every time for us to have a chance at the end."
Willis paces the season box score as he has all season long. The Baltimore native scores 21.5 points per game which is second in the MEC. That is good for 18th in the country while his 560 total points scored is also good for 18th in the country. Willis shoots 41 percent from the 3-point line which is third in the MEC. The senior is 157-174 from the free throw line on the year. The 157 makes are good for fifth in the nation while his 174 attempts at the foul line are 19th in all of the country. He is also eighth in the MEC in minutes played (32.7 per contest.)
Barker also averages in double figures at 12 points per night. He dishes out a team leading and MEC ninth best 3.3 assists per night. The Cincinnati Princeton product also leads the team in steals at 1.3 per night. Ugwuakazi leads the team pulling down six rebounds per game.
West Liberty (23-3 18-2 MEC) is coming off a 119-113 overtime win that clinched the school's ninth MEC regular season championship in the 10 year history of the league.
Richmond talked about the Hilltoppers:
"They will be ready. They are 23-3 for a reason. Their style of play translates both at home and on the road. We have to be really disciplined and under control for 40 minutes."
In the Fairmont game which was the eighth straight win for WLU Christian Montague scored 30 points, Bryce Butler had 27, Alek West added 17, Steve Cannady netted 14, and Malik McKinney notched 11. The Hilltoppers are first in the MEC and second in the country scoring 101.9 points per game. They also lead the country in assists at 23 per night. They are third in the league shooting 49.3 percent from the field and 10th on the defensive end allowing the opposition to shoot 49 percent. On the defensive end West Lib allows an MEC seventh best 82.7 points per contest. They are second in the MEC in 3-point percentage (38 percent,) and sixth guarding the 3-point line (35 percent.) On the glass WLU is sixth as they get 0.5 (37.1-36.6) more rebounds than the opposition. At the free throw line they are shooting 74 percent which is fourth in the MEC.
Richmond talked about West Lib:
"It is the same West Lib team as they have had every year. They just reload and guys fill in the old roles."
Butler leads the Hilltoppers and the MEC scoring at 22.8 points per game (8th in the country,) He shoots 60 percent from the field which is third in the MEC, and also shoots 42.5 percent from the 3-point line. His 7.1 rebounds per game are seventh in the league and he dishes out 3.7 assists which is eighth in the MEC.
Richmond talked about Butler:
"Butler is as consistent as anyone in our league. He doesn't have an off night. We need to make it tough on him. Throw as many bodies as we can at him. "
Montague scores 12.5 per game and leads the team with a MEC eighth best 3.8 assists per contest.
McKinney is averaging 12 points per game, Cannady nets 11.5 per contest and Ben Sarson rounds out the double figure scorers at 10.4 per night.
In the first meeting back in November Sarson paced four WLU players in double figures with 24 points. Butler added 21, pulled down nine rebounds, and dished out seven assists, Cannady had 14, and Montague had 11 with five assists.
Richmond gave his final thoughts:
"We will have to have a really good 40 minute effort. We need to stay disciplined as I have been saying. We will need to control the pace and tempo. This should be easier to do at home with the crowd on our side."
Ugwuakazi gave the final thought prior to this one:
"It's gonna be a battle. West Liberty is a tough opponent. We need to be ready to play a 40 minute ball game."
Other MEC Games Wednesday:
Wheeling @ Alderson Broaddus
West Virginia State @ Concord
West Virginia Wesleyan @ Fairmont State
Charleston @ Glenville State
Davis & Elkins @ Frostburg State
MEC Standings:
West Liberty 18-2 (23-3)
Fairmont State 15-5 (20-6)
Charleston 15-5 (18-8)
West Virginia State 12-8 (18-8)
NDC 12-8 (16-10)
Glenville State 11-9 (15-11)
Davis & Elkins 10-10 (16-10)
Concord 10-10 (14-12)
Alderson Broaddus 7-13 (9-16)
Frostburg State 4-16 (8-18)
Wheeling 4-16 (6-20)
West Virginia Wesleyan 2-18 (2-23)
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