The Notre Dame College Falcons and University of Charleston Golden Eagles played an entertaining basketball game on Wednesday night at H.Bernhard Wehrle Arena. Ultimately the hosts would come out on top 85-78 in a game that featured seven ties and 14 lead changes.
With the loss NDC drops to 15-10 and 12-7 in the MEC. Charleston improves to 20-5 and 15-4 in the MEC after the victory.
UC come out and scored the games first six points as Lamont McManus and Isaiah Gable accounting for three layups during the run. NDC would come back and tie the game at nine after a Mike Sampson layup. Daylin Lee would put the Falcons on top 14-12 after a layup at the 13:52 mark of the opening half. Shaun Monroe would score the next five points but NDC would get a 3-pointer by Jeadon Willis that knotted the game at 19 with 11:30 in the half. After a Williams layup the Falcons would get Willis's second triple of the night that would put them up 22-21 with 10:27 in the opening stanza. A Mike Sampson steal and jam would stretch the Falcons lead to three on the ensuing possession. UC would score the next five points but a Sampson 3-pointer would put NDC back on top. The lead would go back and forth then until a Gbolohan Adio three-point play gave NDC a 34-32 lead with 3:03 in the half. Obinna Ugwuakazi stretched the NDC lead to four. Willis hit a jumper to stretch the Falcons lead to five with 1:10 in the half. A 3-pointer by Wiliams cut that lead to two. After a timeout by NDC with 18 seconds until halftime the play was executed to perfection as Daylin Lee converted a hoop that gave the Falcons a 40-36 halftime lead.
NDC shot 57 percent from the field, 50 percent from the 3-point line (4-8) and 80 percent (4-5) from the free throw line in the opening stanza. Willis led the way with 14 points, while they got seven each from Sampson and Daylin Lee.
UC shot 50 percent in the opening half, 39 percent (5-13) from the 3-point line and 75 percent (3-4) at the free throw line.
John Godinez made a pair of free throws to open the second half but UC would answer as they would go on a 7-0 run to regain the lead 43-42 after a Monroe layup at the 18:21 mark. A Godinez jumper and Willis 3-ball extended the NDC lead to four. The Golden Eagles would knot the game at 47 at the 16:39 mark. NDC would score the next seven points via a Willis jumper, a Godinez 3-pointer and a Tyland Crawford layup that made it 54-47 Falcons with 14:46 to go. UC would tie the game at 56 after a Keene 3-pointer with 13:26 left. After a Crawford three-point play at the 12:10 mark the game was again tied, this time at 59. The next five points went the way for the home team. Mike Kirkland hit a 3-pointer for NDC at the nine minute mark and it was 69-66 Golden Eagles. Lamont McManus would convert a three-point play and Sampson would answer with a bucket of his own. Another McManus layup at the 4:42 mark cut stretched the UC lead to eight (76-68.) Sampson hit a 3-pointer but Williams answered with a big 3-ball of his own. Willis hit a pair of free throws while McManus split his two. After Willis was fouled on a 3-point attempt he knocked down all three free throws with 50 seconds left to cut the lead to four. Lee hit a pair of free throws seven seconds later and it was a 80-78 game. Keene hit a 3-pointer with 35 seconds left and the Golden Eagles sealed it at the free throw line.
NDC head coach Mark Richmond gave his thoughts from this one:
"Was proud of our effort tonight, "Richmond mentioned. We didn't finish the game as well as we needed to. You have to give Charleston credit, they made plays in critical situations."
NDC was led by Willis who went 8-12 from the field, 3-4 from the 3-point line and 5-5 from the free throw line on his way to 24 points as he played all 40 minutes. Sampson added 14 points, five rebounds, and three steals while Godinez tallied 11 as he went 4-5 from the field and made his only 3-point attempt. Daylin Lee had a career high nine rebounds to go with his nine points. NDC shot 51 percent as a team, 44 percent (8-18) from the 3-point line, and 84 percent (16-19) at the free throw line. They had nine assists and 12 turnovers in the contest.
The Golden Eagles were paced by Keith Williams with 23, while both Keene and McManus added 16. Keene also led the team dishing out seven assists. Williams had eight rebounds and six assists of his own. Monroe netted 15 to round out the double digit scorers. UC shot 53 percent from the field, 43 percent (12-28) from the 3-point line, and 82 percent (9-11) at the free throw line. UC won the rebounding battle 31-26. They had 21 assists and 10 turnovers in the contest.
Other MEC Scores Wednesday:
Fairmont State 75 Wheeling 68
West Virginia State 100 Alderson Broaddus 84
Concord 73 West Virginia Wesleyan 61
West Liberty 114 Frostburg State 76
Glenville State 78 Davis & Elkins 72
MEC Standings:
West Liberty 17-2 (23-2)
Fairmont State 15-4 (20-4)
Charleston 15-4 (20-5)
West Virginia State 15-4 (20-6)
NDC 12-7 (15-10)
Concord 9-10 (12-13)
Alderson Broaddus 8-11 (11-13)
Glenville State 7-12 (10-13)
Wheeling 7-12 (8-17)
Davis & Elkins 4-15 (6-19)
Frostburg State 4-15 (6-19)
West Virginia Wesleyan 1-18 (2-23)
Atlantic Region Rankings (Released 2/16) :
Indiana (Pa)
West Liberty
Fairmont State
Pittsburgh-Johnstown
Cal (Pa)
Mercyhurst
Millersville
West Virginia State
Shippensburg
Virginia Union
Really good game summary. Too bad, the Falcons needed this one to inch up in the MEC standings. But, there is momentum here. Go Falcons!