The Notre Dame College Falcons and the Fairmont State Fighting Falcons got together for a key MEC game at Joe Retton Arena on Saturday. It would be the home team that would come away with a 97-86 win. Fairmont State improved to 12-4 and 9-1 in the MEC with the win- while NDC fell to 11-5 and 7-3 in the MEC with the loss.
Larenz Thurman led the way for NDC with 31 points- five assists- and- four rebounds. Will Vorhees scored 16 points and grabbed nine rebounds- Bruce Hodges also scored 16 and grabbed eight rebounds- while Drew Scarberry netted 14 points. NDC shot 46 percent as a team- 37 percent (13-35) from the 3-point line- and- 62 percent (13-21) from the free throw line. The Falcons had 15 assists and three turnovers in the losing effort.
Fairmont had five players score in double figures. Jason Jolly led the way with 27 points- Kenzie Melko had 24- Vonte Montgomery scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds- while Cole Von Handorf scored 11- and- RJ Hutcherson added 10. The Fighting Falcons shot 56 percent from the field- 52 percent (17-33) from the 3-point line- and- 86 percent (12-14) at the free throw line. Fairmont won the rebounding battle 36-31. They had 17 assists and 10 turnovers as a team.
NDC would take a 9-7 lead early on after a Vorhees tip-in at the 15:25 mark. The Fighting Falcons would then get back to back 3-pointer's from Von Handorf before Scarberry answered with a 3 of his own for NDC. Fairmont would then go on a 7-0 run to go up eight. Melko would hit a 3-pointer at the 6:15 mark of the half and it would be 35-24 Fairmont. Jolly would hi a three-ball before Hodges would score the next four points. NDC would get a 3-pointer from Hodges right before halftime and would trail 50-40 at the break.
Hodges led NDC with 13 in the opening half- while Vorhees added eight. The Falcons shot 50 percent as a team- 31 percent (4-13) from the 3-point line- and- 50 percent (4-8) from the free throw line in the opening half. The Falcons had eight assists and one turnover in the first 20 minutes.
The Fighting Falcons shot 57 percent from the field- 65 percent (11-17) from the 3-point line- and- one of one at the free throw line in the half. Fairmont won the rebounding battle in the first half 20-12. They had 11 assists and five turnovers as a team.
Fairmont came out in the second half and extended the lead to 16 (60-44) before Thurman hit back to back 3-pointer's to cut it to 10. NDC would cut the lead to six (66-60) after a Scarberry 3-pointer with 12:12 to go. NDC would be within five (69-64) after a Thurman free throw at the 9:49 mark. The Fighting Falcons would then run off the next seven points. NDC would get to within 10 with 3:15 to go but that is as close as they would get the rest of the way.
Coach Tim Koenig talked about the loss afterwards:
Fairmont made shots tonight and we did not make enough. We need to fly around better on defense. They doubled Larenz and Will the whole game and we just needed more guys to make shots is what it came down to."
The Falcons will be back in action Wednesday when they take on Wheeling Jesuit at Murphy Gym. Tip time is set for 7:30 PM. As always you can catch all the action on NotreDameFalcons.com
Other MEC Scores Saturday:
Shepherd 78 Urbana 66
West Liberty 109 Concord 108 (2 OT)
West Virginia State 78 West Virginia Wesleyan 64
Charleston 99 Glenville State 81
Wheeling Jesuit 78 Virginia Wise 68
MEC Standings:
West Liberty 9-1 (13-2)
Fairmont State 9-1 (12-4)
NDC 7-3 (11-5)
Charleston 6-4 (11-5)
Concord 6-4 (10-5)
Shepherd 6-4 (10-6)
West Virginia State 5-5 (8-8)
West Virginia Wesleyan 3-7 (6-10)
Urbana 3-7 (5-9)
Virginia Wise 3-7 (5-10)
Glenville State 2-8 (7-9)
Wheeling Jesuit 1-9 (2-14)
Comments