The Notre Dame College Falcons were a 89-70 winner over Urbana at the Grimes Center on Saturday. With the win NDC improves to 20-8 overall and 16-6 in the MEC. After the defeat Urbana concludes the season with a record of 6-20 and 4-18 in the MEC.
Bruce Hodges talked about being the first team in NDC history to have a 20 win regular season:
" Crazy to think we made history today. Great win. We played with a sense of urgency in the second half and look what it did." Hodges said.
Koenig spoke about the accomplishment and the work his guys have put in to get here:
" I am really proud of the guys and the staff as well. To be the first team in program history to get to 20 wins in the regular season is so satisfying. It took a tournament run a couple years back to get to 20+ and we plan on going on another tournament run this year. Wakelin has put in the time opening the gym- helping guys with there skill work. Baab has watched so much film all season long and is so good at what he does." Koenig stated.
Will Vorhees led NDC with 38 points- 12 rebounds- five assists- two steals- and- two blocks in the win. It was the 10th consecutive game that Vorhees has scored 30 points or more.
Vorhees talked about the streak and the support of the friends- family- and coaches he had who made the trip from Lima:
" Was awesome to have all the support at the game. The 30-point games stem from my teammates being unselfish with not caring who scores the points, and putting me in the position to score. I am grateful for that and do not take it for granted." Vorhees said.
Koenig talked about the streak and the game Vorhees played today:
" I have run out of things to say about Will. It was his last regular season game and we want this thing to go on for as long as we can. He is a special, elite player. Every time Urbana went on a run Will was either getting a rebound, getting a bucket. Getting a bucket for someone else or blocking a shot,Koenig added.
Larenz Thurman added 18 points and three steals in the game.
Koenig talked about him:
" I met with Larenz this week and said you are a stud right? He said yea. I told him studs, great players elite players they never have two bad games in a row. He was great this week."
Isaiah Sanders added 11 points- while Bruce Hodges had nine points and eight rebounds. Drew Scarberry also scored nine points.
Koenig talked about the improvement of Scarberry especially on the defensive end:
" Drew has gotten so much better on defense and rebounding. He has been really good with the back side help. He can change the game with his shot obviously but he can also change the game without even touching the ball. He had that one play today where he got Larenz an open three. Earlier this year or even last season he would have bombed that three, but this time he shot faked and made the extra pass. He has been making the right decisions."
The Falcons shot 49 percent from the field- 25 percent (6-24) from the 3-point line- and- 70 percent (21-30) from the free throw line. They had 17 assists and nine turnovers as a team. The Falcons won the rebounding battle 43-32.
Thurman talked about it being close to tournament time:
" It's getting closer to tournament time and we know the task that is ahead of us. So all week I have just been putting extra work in the gym."
Urbana was led by 22 points from Malik Jacobs. He was one of four Blue Knights in double figures. Mike Ryan had 14- Datrey Long netted 13- and- Jordan Bradley scored 11.
Koenig talked about the adjustment made on Long early:
"After Long went off early in the game we switched it and put Bruce on him. We lost the big guys early in the first half defensively. We were much better and our intensity was really good on both ends in the second half."
The Blue Knights shot 43 percent from the floor in the game. They shot 37 percent (11-30) from the 3-point line in the loss. That included shooting at a 55 percent clip (5-9) at the free throw line. They had 12 assists and 17 turnovers as a team.
The game would go back and forth in the early going as there would be seven lead changes. Thurman and Scarberry would each knock down a 3-pointer to give NDC a 26-18 lead with 9:34 in the half. NDC would take a 11 point lead (41-30) into the locker room.
Vorhees (17 points-) and- Thurman (12) would be the Falcons leading scorers in the opening stanza. NDC shot 43 percent from the field- 31 percent (4-13) from the 3-point line- and- 69 percent (11-16) at the free throw line. They had six assists and six turnovers in the half.
Urbana was led by Ryan with 10 points in the opening half- while Long had eight. They shot 45 percent as a team in the half- 25 percent (3-12) from the 3-point line- and- 25 percent (1-4) at the free throw line. They had seven assists- and- 10 turnovers in the first 20 minutes.
NDC grew the lead to 15 (49-34) early in the second half. Thurman would make a layup to cap a 6-0 run that made the lead 18 (63-45) with 12:43 to go. The lead would be double digits the rest of the way as they led by as many as 22 (73-51) after a pair of Sanders free throws with 8:03 left. The 19 point win would secure the third seed in the MEC tournament for the Falcons where they will face West Virginia State at WestBanco Arena in Wheeling, West Virginia. Tip time on Friday is set for 2:15 PM.
Koenig talked about a team effort in this one:
" It can be tough to not get tangible results. Everyone had a piece of the pie in this one tonight. I am really happy for the guys."
Other MEC Scores Saturday:
Fairmont State 89 Shepherd 78
West Virginia Wesleyan 73 Glenville State 63
Charleston 86 West Virginia State 68
Concord 83 Virginia Wise 72
West Liberty 96 Wheeling Jesuit 85
MEC Standings:
West Liberty 20-2 (24-3)
Fairmont State 18-4 (21-7)
NDC 16-6 (20-8)
Charleston 15-7 (20-8)
Concord 14-8 (19-9)
West Virginia State 9-13 (12-16)
Shepherd 9-13 (13-15)
West Virginia Wesleyan 8-14 (11-17)
Wheeling Jesuit 7-15 (8-20)
Virginia Wise 6-16 (9-19)
Glenville State 6-16 (11-17)
Urbana 4-18 (6-20)
MEC Tournament First Round Matchups:
# 7 Shepherd vs #10 Virginia Wise (Wed)
Friday:
#2 Fairmont State vs 7/10 winner
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