The Notre Dame College Falcons open the 2019 calendar year at the Osborne Center on the campus of Lake Erie College when they take on the Storm Saturday. NDC will play a game for the first time since December 15th when they tip at 3 PM. The Falcons come in with a record of 8-3 and 4-2 in the MEC. Lake Erie comes into the contest at 7-6 and 3-3 in the GMAC. You can catch the action on NotreDameFalcons.com
Coach Tim Koenig set up the matchup: " Lake Erie is a really good dangerous team. They took a top 25 Findlay team to the buzzer. Gabe Kynard is a really good player, one of the better players we will play against this year. They play hard and are a really good rebounding team. The guards are really good rebounders in particular."
On the three things that have been worked on in practices since break:
" Shot selection is the first one. We are last in the conference in 3-point field goal percentage and need to improve upon that. When we shoot well from the 3-point line it is a product of either ball reversal or playing inside-out. Second thing is cutting down on turnovers. We are averaging more than 13 turnovers per game- we are trying to get that number closer to 10. Last thing is rebounding and limiting teams to one shot. We have been killed this year on second chance points. Lake Erie is not big but they have there big guy back now who was suspended."
NDC was a 73-59 winner over Gannon on 12/15. Will Vorhees paced the Falcons with 32 points and 11 rebounds in the contest. Isaiah Sanders added 11- and- Angelo Cugini had 10 in the victory. Larenz Thurman had a team high eight assists to go along with nine points in the game. The Falcons shot 38 percent from the field- they shot just 17 percent (5-29) from the 3-point line in the contest. NDC shot at a 80 percent clip (20-25) at the free throw line.
The Falcons come into Saturday's game averaging 83.3 points per night- while they allow 77.5 per contest. One thing the Falcons have done very well this year is get to the free throw line. They are averaging nearly six more free throw attempts than the opponent (20.2-14.4) on the year. The Falcons hold a slight edge on the boards where they are out-rebounding the opponent 38.8-37.6. Individually NDC is paced by Vorhees who is leading the team in both points (23.5 per game and rebounds 10.4 per contest.) Thurman is scoring 19 a game and averaging a team leading eight assists per contest. Isaiah Sanders is scoring 13.9 points per game- as the freshman is shooting 52 percent from the field- and- 89 percent at the free throw line on the year. Halil Parks is putting u
p 12.5 points per game- while Cugini is nearly averaging a double-double (9.4 points and 10 rebounds per night) and is leading the team shooting at a 53 percent clip from the field.
Sanders talked about the matchup and what has been emphasized in practices since break:
" The same things that have been emphasized all year. Play hard- run the floor- defend- and- rebound. Getting to help side has been a big emphasis since break. If we do those things we have a pretty good shot at beating anyone."
Bruce Hodges talked about defense and rebounding being key:
" Rebounding offensively and defensively and continuing to talk on defense has been the emphasis. If we do what we do we will come out on the day 1-0."
Cugini agreed:
"Definitely got to make them work and make them take shots off-balance. Offensive rebounds are huge in this one. If we do that we are going to win the big one."
The Storm are coming off a 76-67 win over Shawnee State on 12/31. Lake Erie is 4-1 at the Osborne Center on the season. In the game versus Shawnee State they were led by Erron James with 21 points- Gabe Kynard added 16- while Brogan Scott had 10. The Storm shot 40 percent from the field- 26 percent (6-23) from the 3-point line- and- 57 percent (12-21) at the free throw line. They had 14 assists and 11 turnovers in the win. The Storm average 70.8 points per game- while they give up 72.3 per night. The Storm are averaging 40.6 rebounds per night versus the opponents 39.5.
Kynard leads the season box score averaging 16.9 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. Erron James is putting up 9.4 points- 5.5 rebounds- and- 2.5 assists a night. Harrison Riggs leads the team in assists at 2.7 per night- while Brogan Scott is the rebounding leader at 6.2 per contest.
Other MEC Games This Weekend:
Salem @ Urbana (Sat)
Shepherd @Lincoln (Sat)
West Virginia State @Chowan (Sun)
Bluefield State @Fairmont State (Sun)
Glenville State @Cheyney (Sun)
MEC Standings:
Fairmont State 6-0 (8-3)
Concord 5-1 (9-2)
West Liberty 5-1 (9-2)
NDC 4-2 (8-3)
Charleston 3-3 (7-4)
Shepherd 3-3 (7-4)
Virginia Wise 3-3 (5-6)
Glenville State 2-4 (6-5)
West Virginia State 2-4 (5-6)
West Virginia Wesleyan 2-4 (5-7)
Urbana 1-5 (2-7)
Wheeling Jesuit 0-6 (1-11)
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