The Notre Dame College Falcons (15-9 11-7 MEC) take on the University of Charleston Golden Eagles (17-7 14-4 MEC) in a critical MEC game at Murphy Gymnasium at 7:30 PM on Wednesday night. You can catch all the action on the MountainEast Conference Digital Network at MountainEast.TV
"Charleston is obviously a really good team. Looking forward to playing them again, "NDC head coach Mark Richmond stated. "We didn't have our best effort the first time we played them. Looking forward to playing much better against a really good team late in the season."
NDC is coming off an 87-70 win over Frostburg State on Saturday. Jaedon Willis paced the Falcons with 27 points, DeAirius Barker tallied 21 points and grabbed a team high 10 rebounds, while Tyland Crawford netted 11. NDC comes into Wednesday's contest scoring 82.5 points per game which is sixth in the MEC, on the defensive end they give up 75.7 points per game which is second in the conference. The Falcons are shooting an MEC 10th best 44.3 percent from the field, defensively the Falcons lead the conference in field goal percentage against (42.3 percent.) NDC shoots 77.4 percent at the free throw line which is good for second in the MEC. They are seventh in the conference on the glass out-rebounding the opposition by 0.2 (38.5-38.3) rebounds per night. Richmond talked offense:
"Offensively we have to move the ball and get really good shots. We have got to make them as well."
Jaedon Willis paces the squad and is second in the MEC pouring in 22.3 points per game. That is good for 11th in the country. The Baltimore native is 13th in the country with 536 total points scored. The senior has made 169 free throws which is good for third in the country. He shoots at a 90.5 percent clip from the free throw line is second in the MEC and 13th in the country. Willis leads the team in field goal percentage (43 percent.) From the 3-point line Willis shoots an MEC third best 42 percent from the 3-point line, he is also ninth in the conference in minutes played at 32.4 minutes per contest. Barker joins Willis in double figures notching 12 points per game. The Cincinnati native leads the team in assists at 3.3 per contest. Obinna Ugwuakazi leads the team on the glass grabbing 5.1 boards per night.
In the first meeting between the two teams, which the Falcons lost 87-67 Willis scored 22, and Barker added 17. Richmond talked about it:
"We didn't play a very good first half at UC. We dug ourselves a hole. We played a little better in the second half but it was way too late."
Then he talked defense:
"We will have to do some creative things to get them out of rythm."
Charleston is coming off a 105-66 drubbing of Davis & Elkins last time out. Richmond talked about the team they have as a whole:
"UC is really good on both ends. What stands out for me is they don't beat themselves you have to beat them. You have to score against them (They give up 72 points per game which is really good for our league. On offense they score 82 per game. All of this tells you that obviously they are really good and really well coached."
In the win over Davis & Elkins Eddie Colbert scored 25, Tyler Eberhart notched 18, CJ Meredith netted 14, and both Keith Williams and Keaton Turner scored 12. Shunta Wilson also scored in double figures with 10.
In the first meeting with NDC Williams scored 20, Eberhart tallied 16, Colbert notched 14, and CJ Meredith netted 13.
As a team UC scores 81.5 points per game which is good for seventh in the MEC while defensively they allow a league leading 72.8 points per game on the defensive end. The Golden Eagles shoot an MEC second best 50.1 percent from the field, allow the opposition to shoot an MEC fourth best 42.9 percent, while from the 3-point arc they shoot an MEC sixth best 36.3 percent while they hold the opposition to 33.4 percent shooting from long range which is fifth in the conference. They are fifth in the conference at the free throw line as they shoot 72.1 percent from the charity stripe. On the glass Charleston is fourth out-rebounding the opposition by 1.9 (36.5-34.6) rebounds per contest. Colbert leads the team in scoring at 14.2 points per game and is 10th in the MEC grabbing 6.8 rebounds per contest.
Richmond talked about him:
"Colbert has been coming off the bench recently. He is really, really good."
Eberhart scores 13.6 points per night, is ninth in the MEC hauling in seven rebounds per night, and is swatting 0.9 shots per game which is eighth in the MEC.
Richmond talked about him:
"Eberhart is really hard to guard. He is kind of like a point center sometimes since he can bring the ball up. He is a really good passer and obviously a really good rebounder. We need to keep him off the boards and can't let him catch it close."
Williams scores 12.2 points per game. He and Eberhart are tied for the team lead at 2.8 assists per contest.
Richmond talked about Williams:
"Williams is obviously a veteran who has been at UC for a while. He can shoot the ball, we have to know where he is at all times."
Richmond gave his final thought:
"We will have to be ready to play Wednesday night and I expect our guys to be ready to go."
"As usual we will have to set the tempo early and get off to a good start, "Willis mentioned.
Other MEC Games Wednesday:
West Virginia Wesleyan @ Concord
West Virginia State @ Alderson Broaddus
Wheeling @ Fairmont State
Davis & Elkins @ Glenville State
West Liberty @ Frostburg State
MEC Standings:
West Liberty 16-2 (21-3)
Fairmont State 14-4 (19-5)
Charleston 14-4 (17-7)
West Virginia State 11-7 (17-7)
NDC 11-7 (17-7)
Glenville State 10-8 (14-10)
Concord 9-9 (13-11)
Davis & Elkins 8-10 (14-10)
Alderson Broaddus 6-12 (8-15)
Frostburg State 4-14 (8-16)
Wheeling 3-15 (5-19)
West Virginia Wesleyan 2-16 (2-21)
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