The Notre Dame College Falcons (4-8) head to Wheeling to take on the Cardinals (3-8) in a pivotal MEC road tilt at the McDonough Center Saturday. The winner of Saturday's contest will have a leg up in qualifying for the MEC Tournament. You can catch all the action of the slated 4:30 PM contest on the MECTV portal, and Live Stats in real time at NotreDameFalcons.com
Coach Mark Richmond set up the matchup:
"Another huge road test for us. We have to get off to a much better start. Wheeling is playing very well, particularly at home, Richmond mentioned.
NDC (4-8) is coming off a 94-84 loss at Fairmont on Wednesday night. Marquise Johnson led five Falcons in double figures with 18 points, he was joined by Jordan Burton with 16, Jordan Roland, and Javontae Jones with 12, and Tyland Crawford contributed 11. NDC shot 46 percent from the field- and- 46 percent (11-24) from the 3-point line in the contest. They struggled at the free throw line where they shot 53 percent (9-17.)
For the season, NDC is scoring a MEC ninth best 78.1 points per night- while they are allowing a MEC fifth best 81.8 points per game. They are also fifth both offensively, and defensively in field goal percentage (46 percent.) NDC is second in 3-point percentage (38 percent) as a team. On the glass the Falcons are also fifth at +3.4 (37.8-34.4.)
Roland is the teams top scorer at 16.9 points per game- and- also is dishing out a team leading- and- MEC ninth best 3.3 assists per contest. Burton is not far behind at 14.3 points per game. As he has all season long, the sophomore from Toledo has been propelled by his 3-point shooting (53 percent which is first in the MEC.) Burton is also eighth in the MEC with 2.5 made 3-pointer's a night. He is sixth in the free throw shooting, shooting at a 85 percent clip. Crawford comes into the contest averaging 12.5 points per game, and is hauling in 5.5 rebounds per contest. Mike Sampson has identical numbers, both in scoring, and rebounding (9.8 per game.) The 9.8 rebounds is good for fourth in the MEC.
Wheeling (3-8) is comibng off a 89-85 win over Frostburg State on Wednesday night. Jarrett Haines led the Cardinals with 25 points after making five 3-pointer's, he was joined in double digits by John Korte (19-) Jordan Reid (18-) and- Jay Gentry (10.) The Cardinals shot 47 percent from the field- 37 percent (7-19) from the 3-point line- and- 73 percent (24-33) at the free throw line.
As a team Wheeling averages a MEC 11th best 75.9 points per game, while they allow a MEC sixth best 84.8 points per contest. They are third in the MEC shooting at a 37 percent clip from the 3-point line.
Reid leads Wheeling averaging a MEC sixth best 20.8 points per game- and- also is grabbing a team leading 6.7 rebounds per contest. Haines puts up 17.1 points per game- while he dishes out a MEC sixth best 3.8 assists per night. He is also fifth in the MEC in 3-point percentage on the season.
Richmond talked about the duo:
" Reid is an all-conference guy, and Haines has raised his game to another level."
The duo is joined by Gentry (11.3 points per game-) and- Korte (10.1 points per night- and- 6.3 rebounds per contest.) Gentry is also ninth in the MEC in 3-point percentage.
The two teams met back on January 18th, with the Falcons coming away with a 75-69 win. NDC was led by 19 points from Burton in that one. Crawford scored 16- while Roland stuffed the stat sheet with 15 points- nine assists- and- seven rebounds. John Godinez also scored in double digits that day with 10.
For Wheeling in the first meeting Reid poured in a game high 26 points. He was joined by Haines with 14- and- 10 from Korte.
Richmond gave his final thought:
" We will have to play extremely well for 40 minutes to win on the road tomorrow."
Other MEC Games Saturday:
West Virginia Wesleyan @ West Virginia State
West Liberty @ Frostburg State
Charleston @ Concord
Fairmont State @ Alderson Broaddus
Glenville State @ Davis & Elkins: Ppd.
MEC North Standings:
Fairmont State 9-2
West Liberty 9-3
Alderson Broaddus 6-5
NDC 4-8
Frostburg State 3-8
Wheeling 3-8
MEC South:
Charleston 11-2
Glenville State 7-2
Concord 7-5
West Virginia State 6-5
Davis & Elkins 3-8
West Virginia Wesleyan 0-12
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