The Notre Dame College Falcons jumped out to a 23-7 lead and were on top 41-32 at halftime. Alderson Broaddus rallied in the second half and knocked off the Falcons 79-73 in the regular season finale on Saturday. With the loss NDC drops to 16-12 and 12-10 in the MEC. The Battlers improve to 11-16 and 9-13 in the MEC with the win.
"Tough outcome today. Couldn't make enough plays in the second half on either end of the floor to win a tough game on the road, "NDC head coach Mark Richmond stated.
DeAirius Barker converted a three-point play at the 14:50 mark of the first half and NDC was on top 11-4. The Falcons went on a 10-0 run that included a pair of Jaedon Willis 3-pointer's, a basket from Daylin Lee and a jumper by Obinna Ugwuakazi that gave NDC their largest lead (23-7) at the 11:33 mark of the opening stanza. After a 6-0 burst by the Battlers Barker split a pair of free throws and another triple by Willis made it a 27-13 NDC lead with 9:12 until halftime. The lead stayed in double digits until a layup and dunk by Jalen Knott cut it to six (31-25) with 3:55 in the half. Willis hit another 3-pointer to stretch the lead to nine. A Willis 3-ball at the 2:24 mark until halftime stretched the lead to 12 (39-27.) Tyland Crawford made a layup but Knott would knock down a 3-pointer to trim the NDC lead to nine (41-32) at halftime.
Knott scored 13 points for the Battlers in the opening half while Zach Simpkin's added eight. As a team ABU shot 43 percent from the floor in the first stanza, 30 percent (3-10) from the 3-point line and 50 percent (3-6) at the free throw line. They had five assists and four turnovers in the opening frame.
Willis had 19 in the opening 20 minutes. Barker had seven, Ugwuakazi added six and six rebounds. As a team NDC shot 55 percent in the opening half, 50 percent (5-10) from the 3-point line, and 44 percent (4-9) at the free throw line. They had a 19-12 advantage on the boards. The Falcons had two assists and eight turnovers in the stanza.
The Battler battled back in the second half and got to within two (44-42) after two free throws at the 16:11 mark. After Ugwuakazi gave NDC a four point lead Coryon Rice and Knott hit back to back 3-pointer's to put the Battlers on top. Willis tied it at 48. The two teams traded baskets and then 3-pointer's. The NDC 3-pointer by Tyland Crawford tied the game at 53 at the 10:24 mark. Willis then put NDC back on top. After Crawford split a pair of free throws the Battlers took the lead back at the 8:26 mark. The Battlers stretched the lead to four before Ugwuakazi made it a 60-58 game with 6:54 on the clock. ABU went on a 5-0 run before a pair of Barker free throws trimmed the ABU lead to five (65-60) with 2:58 to go. Sirr Hughes made a pair of free throws but NDC got a triple from Gbolahan Adio that made it 67-63 with 2:28 remaining. Simpkins hit a 3-pointer to make the lead seven but a pair of Barker free throws made it a three point game (70-67) with 1:30 on the clock. Knott knocked down a 3-pointer and Rice added a pair of free throws. A pair of Barker free throws cut it to six with 31 ticks remaining. After Rice split a pair of free throws Willis hit his sixth 3-pointer at the 25 second mark to trim the lead to four (76-72.) That would be as close as NDC would get the rest of the way as they fell 79-73.
Richmond had this to say after this one:
"Give AB credit for making plays down the stretch, but I thought we left some plays out there that we normally make. No time to dwell on it though, have to turn the page and move towards the MEC Tournament."
Willis led NDC with 28 points, Ugwuakazi added his fourth double-double (15 points and 10 rebounds,) while Barker netted 14 and pulled down nine boards. As a team NDC shot 41 percent from the floor, 38 percent (8-21) from the 3-point line, and 62 percent (13-21) at the free throw line. They won the rebounding battle 36-31. The Falcons had six assists and 13 turnovers in the contest.
Knott paced the Battlers with 31 points and 16 rebounds, while both Simpkins and Rice tallied 13. Sirr Hughes also tallied double figures with 12. As a team ABU shot 50 percent from the field, 42 percent (8-19) from the 3-point line, and 63 percent (15-24) at the free throw line. They had 14 assists and 10 turnovers in the win.
NDC will now turn their attention to the MEC Tournament. They will enter the tournament as the fifth seed and take on fourth seeded West Virginia State on Friday night at 8:30 PM at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling, West Virginia.
Other MEC Scores Saturday:
Glenville State 85 Concord 81
West Liberty 103 Wheeling 91
West Virginia State 92 Charleston 81
Davis & Elkins 94 West Virginia Wesleyan 47
Fairmont State 88 Frostburg State 70
Final Regular season standings:
West Liberty 20-2 (25-3)
Fairmont State 17-5 (22-6)
Charleston 16-6 (19-9)
West Virginia State 14-8 (20-8)
NDC 12-10 (16-12)
Davis & Elkins 12-10 (18-10)
Glenville State 12-10 (16-10)
Concord 10-12 (14-14)
Alderson Broaddus 9-13 (11-16)
Wheeling 4-18 (6-22)
Frostburg State 4-18 (8-20)
West Virginia Wesleyan 2-20 (2-25)
Atlantic Region Rankings:
1. Indiana (PA) 25-1
2. West Liberty 23-3
3. MercyHurst 20-4
4. Virginia Union 21-6
5. Fairmont State 19-6
6. Pitt-Johnstown 18-7
7. West Chester 19-7
8. East Stroudsburg 20-7
9. Millersville 15-9
10. Charleston (WV) 18-9
MEC Tournament Games:
Wednesday:
Friday:
#2 Fairmont State vs 7/10 winner: Noon
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