The Notre Dame College Falcons (14-7 10-5 MEC) take on the Davis & Elkins College Senators (12-9 6-9 MEC ) in a pivotal MEC battle tomorrow (Saturday.) Tip time is set for 4 PM from Murphy Gymnasium and you can catch all the action on the MountainEast.TV
"We are looking forward to another pivotal, important conference battle against D&E, NDC head coach Mark Richmond said. "We played them back in early December and came out with a victory. They've added a few pieces since then and got a few guys back from injury. They are coming off a couple of nice wins over Wheeling and Alderson Broaddus. We will have to have our best effort to give ourselves a chance in this one."
NDC is coming off a 69-63 win at West Virginia Wesleyan on Wednesday. Reigning MEC Player Of The Week Jaedon Willis paced the Falcons with 21 points, Jamarr Talbert added 14, and Gbolahan Adio tallied 11. NDC scores 83.9 points per game as a team which is fifth in the Mountain East Conference while defensively they give up 75.2 points per game which is second in the MEC. The Falcons shoot 44.9 percent from the floor which is good for ninth in the conference but they have been really good at the defensive end. They lead the MEC in field goal percentage (41.5 percent,) and hold opponents to 28.8 percent shooting from the 3-point line. On offense the Falcons shoot 38.2 percent from the 3-point line which is second in the MEC. On the glass the Falcons are +0.9 (39.3-38.4) rebounds per contest.
Willis continues to stuff the stat sheet and be one of the top scoring threats in both the MEC and the country. The former Chowan product puts up 22 points per game which is good for second in the MEC and makes him 13th in the country. He is also 14th in the country in total points (461.) Willis has made 150 free throws which is good for third in all of DII. The Baltimore native shoots 43.2 percent from the field, 42 percent from the 3-point line (3rd in the MEC) and his 2.9 made 3-pointer's per contest are good for fourth in the conference. The senior is second in the MEC shooting 89.3 percent from the free throw line and plays 32 minutes per night which is 10th in the MEC. DeAirius Barker scores 11.6 points per game and dishes out an MEC ninth best 3.6 assists per night. Obinna Ugwuakazi leads the Falcons on the glass grabbing 5.3 rebounds per contest.
In the first meeting with the Senators NDC was a 74-63 winner. Daylin Lee led the Falcons with 18, while both Jaedon Willis and Gbolahan Adio added 10.
Richmond talked about that:
"It was a good game down there. We played really well defensively. We will need that same effort come Saturday."
Willis gave his thoughts:
"Got to start better than we did last game, "Willis explained. "We know it'll be a battle but we feel really good at home. We have to just play to the level we are capable of."
The Senators are coming off a 100-98 double overtime win over Alderson Broaddus on Wednesday. Breland Walton led D& E with 29 points, Sam Rolle scored 25, and Jordan Alexander netted 21. As a team the Senators score 78.8 points per game which is ninth in the MEC, at the other end the Senators allow 80 points per game which is fifth in the conference. They shoot 45.5 percent from the field (7th MEC,) they hold the opposition to 44.3 percent shooting (5th MEC.) D&E struggles from the 3-point line where they shoot an MEC 10th best 34.2 percent but has been solid defending the 3-point line (32.5 percent which is fourth in the MEC.) The Senators are fifth in the MEC shooting 71.1 percent from the free throw line. On the glass the Senators are at the bottom of the MEC being out-rebounded by 2.1 (36.3-38.4) rebounds per contest.
Rolle leads the Senators putting up 18.8 points per game which is fifth in the MEC, he dishes out 5.9 assists which leads the MEC and is 13th in the country. He gets 2.3 steals per contest which is also tied for first in the MEC.
Richmond talked about having a plan for Rolle:
"We will have to have a plan for Sam. We will need to keep him in front, he is not a huge guy but he does a good job of handling physicality. He likes getting in the lane and being around the rim. We will have to do a good job of keeping him out of the lane and contesting his three's as well as pull-up jumpers."
Walton averages 14.7 points and grabs 5.3 rebounds per night. Vadim Clanet scores 13 points per night and leads the team grabbing 6.3 rebounds per contest.
In the first meeting between the two teams Rolle led the Senators with 19, Clanet added 17 and grabbed eight rebounds, while Evan Busby tallied 10 in the losing effort.
Richmond gave his final thoughts:
"We will be back at home after having a day off yesterday for the most part, we should get our legs back out from under us. We should be refocused and ready to go."
Other MEC Games Saturday:
West Virginia Wesleyan @ Alderson Broaddus
Concord @ Fairmont State
Charleston @ West Liberty
Glenville State @ Frostburg State
West Virginia State @ Wheeling
MEC Standings:
West Liberty 13-2 (18-3)
Charleston 12-3 (15-6)
Fairmont State 11-4 (16-5)
NDC 10-5 (14-7)
West Virginia State 9-6 (15-6)
Glenville State 9-6 (13-8)
Concord 8-7 (11-9)
Davis & Elkins 6-9 (12-9)
Alderson Broaddus 5-10 (7-13)
Wheeling 3-12 (5-16)
Frostburg State 2-13 (6-15)
West Virginia Wesleyan 2-13 (2-17)
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