For the first time in the history of Notre Dame College basketball the Falcons are in the NCAA Tournament. It is only fitting that NDC would face a team in Virginia State that they have never faced before. Tip time is set for 12 PM on Saturday from the Kovalchick Sports Complex on the campus of Indiana (PA.) You can watch the game live by going to NotreDameFalcons.com
Coach Of The Year Tim Koenig set up the matchup:
"Virginia State is a really good team. Their is a reason why they are 27-4 and are 13th in the country. We have our work cut out for us." Koenig said.
NDC (23-8) has won four straight including the last three in last weekends MEC Tournament. They defeated West Virginia State 98-77 in the MEC Quarterfinals- then come away with a 85-67 win over second seeded Fairmont State Saturday night. NDC would cap off the tournament with a 100-96 upset of top seeded and nationally fifth ranked West Liberty. Bruce Hodges- Larenz Thurman- and- Will Vorhees were on the All-Tournament Team, with Vorhees taking home the tournament's Most Outstanding Player Award. Both Thurman and Vorhees were All-Conference First team- with Vorhees taking home the hardware as MEC Player Of The Year. Vorhees scored 29 points- grabbed 14 rebounds- and- dished out eight assists in the contest. Thurman scored 17 points and had five assists of his own. Hodges scored 22 points in the contest. It was the first time this season that he has scored in double figures in three consecutive games. The Falcons shot 56 percent from the field as a team, while they shot 37 percent (10-27) from the 3-point line. NDC also set a MEC tournament record by hitting 86 percent from the free throw line. The Falcons dominated on the glass where they out-rebounded West Liberty 41-26. Halil Parks also set an MEC record by shooting at a 80 percent clip (8-10) from the 3-point line. NDC averages 88 points per game as a team while they allow 79.5 per contest. NDC shoots 49 percent from the field as a team on the year. The Falcons continue to get to the free throw line, as they shoot 16.2 free throws per contest- while the opposition shoots 12.9 per contest. The Falcons have also been good on the glass where they out-rebound the opponent 39.7-34.0 on the year. NDC is also very strong at sharing the ball as they average 16 assists per game as a team- while the opponent gets 13.9 assists per contest. NDC gets 3.1 blocks a game as a team, as opposed to 1.8 per night for the opposition.
Vorhees leads the season box score putting up 28.3 points- 11.3 rebounds- 3.4 assists- and- 1.4 blocks a game. Thurman scores 17.5 a game- and- dishes out 5.1 assists a night. He shoots 47 percent from the 3-point line, and 81 percent at the free throw line. Isaiah Sanders scores 12.4 points per night, as he shoots at a 84 percent clip from the free throw line. Drew Scarberry averages 10.2 points per night and shoots at a 39 percent clip from the 3-point line. Bruce Hodges averages two steals per game.
Sanders talked about how this whole season should prepare NDC for this moment:
" We have played some of the best competition in the country and came out with the victory. We feel like if we play how we play and play harder and smarter than them we will come out 1-0."Sanders stated.
Thurman agreed:
" Exactly what Zay said."
Hodges talked about execution:
" I couldn't agree more with what Zay said. We just have to execute our game plan."
Virginia State (27-4) is led by head coach Lonnie Blow Jr. The Trojans were the CIAA regular season and tournament champions, and come in riding a seven game win streak. They beat Elizabeth State- Livingstone- and- Shaw on the way to the title. In the final against Shaw the Trojans came away with a 77-66 win. Jahmere Howze led the way for VSU with 28 points and 12 rebounds in the title clincher. Jalen Jackson added 16- Cedric Wiggins netted 11 and dished out six assists- while Andrew Corum tallied 11 to go along with eight rebounds. The Trojans shot 51 percent from the field- 32 percent (6-19) from the 3-point line- and- shot at a 71 percent clip (15-21) from the free throw line. The Trojans score 78.8 points per game- while they allow 68.3 per nTt1I
ight. They also get to the free throw line just like NDC. The Trojans shoot 16.8 free throws per game- while the opposition shoots 14.5 per night. VSU out-rebounds the opponent 37.3-34.3 on the season. They average four more assists than the opposition (15.3-11.3.)
The Trojans season box score is led by Howze who scores 14..3 points per game- while he grabs 6.2 rebounds per night. Jackson also scores in double figures at 10.8 per night. While Melvin Lyone nets 10.7 points per night.
Koenig gave his final thought:
"As I have said all season long. If we play the right way we can beat anyone. If we play the wrong way we can lose to anyone. Every game the goal is the same and it is no different in this one. To go 1-0."
The winner of Saturday's matchup will face the winner of second seeded West Liberty and seventh seeded East Stroudsburg.
Atlantic Region Games Saturday:
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