The surging Notre Dame College Falcons welcome the Concord Mountain Lions to Murphy Gym on Thursday night in a key MEC matchup. The game is slated to tip at 7:30 PM and you can catch all the action on NotreDameFalcons.com
Assistant Coach John Wakelin set up the matchup:
" Concord is coming off a big win over Fairmont State. We know that they can beat anyone in our league." Wakelin said.
Coach Tim Koenig agreed:
"Concord is really good. They are coming off a big win on the road by double digits at Fairmont. We have our work cut out for us." Koenig said.
Drew Scarberry talked about the challenge at hand:
" We have the opportunity to play another playoff game tomorrow. This is a huge game for us to keep the momentum going. We were able to pull out a win down at their place- now it's time to defend our house and get another W in the win column."
NDC (18-6 14-4 MEC) has won five straight overall- and- nine in a row at home. Last time out they were a 85-68 winner over West Virginia Wesleyan on the road. Vorhees led the way with 32 points and seven rebounds- Isaiah Sanders tallied a double-double with 17 points- and- 11 rebounds- Drew Scarberry knocked down five 3-pointer's on his way to 16 points- and- Larenz Thurman scored 13 points and dished out nine assists. Bruce Hodges was just the third player in NDC history to record a double-double with just points and assists. The junior had 11 assists- 10 rebounds- and- also five steals in the victory. NDC shot 49 percent as a team- 44 percent from the 3-point line (10-23-) and- shot at a 90 percent clip (9-10) from the free throw line. The Falcons had a season high 26 assists in the victory- to go along with 10 turnovers. NDC was +22 on the boards- as they had a 46-24 rebounding advantage in the contest.
NDC comes into the game sixth in the conference in scoring at 86.8 points per night on the offensive end- while defensively they allow a league third best 78.5 points per night. The Falcons get to the free throw line more than the opponent (16.5- 13-) and- are +5.2 on the boards (40.1-34.9.) They also average more than an assist per game more than the opponent (15.1-13.8.)
Vorhees is leading the season box score averaging a league second best 27.5 points per game. The reigning MEC Player Of The Week for the second straight week is leading the MEC in rebounding at 11.3 rebounds per contest. Vorhees- who has been the US Writers Asscoiation Player Of The Week in each of the past two weeks is averaging 34.6 points- and- 12.6 rebounds per night in February. Larenz Thurman is second on the team-and- eighth in the MEC in scoring at 18.6 points per contest. The junior is second in the league in assists at five per night. Thurman is also second in the league in 3-point shooting, as he shoots at a 46 percent clip from the 3-point line on the season. Isaiah Sanders is also averaging double digits scoring 11.7 points per game. The freshman from New Jersey is fifth in the MEC in free throw percentage shooting at a 84 percent clip on the season. Koenig talked about his role players:
" Bruce and Isaiah- as well as our other role players have been playing really well lately and we have been winning." Koenig said.
Concord (16-8 11-7 MEC) is coming off a 91-80 win at Fairmont on Saturday. Jair Rodgers led the way with 31 points- Tommy Bolte added 19- and- Malik Johnson chipped in 18. The Moutain Lions shot 44 percent from the field- 39 percent from the 3-point line- and- 78 percent (18-23) from the free throw line.
Bolte leads the MEC and is second in the country in scoring at 29.3 points per game. He also averages 4.8 assists per contest. Bolte is second in the MEC in steals at 1.8 per game- while he is second in the MEC in free throw percentage shooting at a 91 percent clip.
Wakelin talked about the challenges of slowing down Bolte:
" Bolte is second in the country in scoring- and- first in the MEC for a reason. He is really good at getting to the rim. He can score in many different ways. It will be a team effort to slow down Bolte- no one man can stop that guy."
Koenig agreed:
" The key is to limit the easy baskets. Bolte is really good in tranistion and we need to keep him off the free throw line."
Rodgers comes in averaging a league fifth best 21.6 points per game- he is third in the conference in free throw percentage shooting at a 89 percent clip.
Wakelin talked about Rodgers:
" He is one of the best shooters in the league. If you get him an open shot more times than not he will knock it down."
Koenig gave his thoughts on Rodgers:
" We need to keep him off the free throw line as well. Also we want to limit the easy ones these guys get especially in transition. We need to make them work as well. All of that is easier said then done."
Malik Johnson comes into Thursday averaging 10 points per game. Simon Kovac leads the Mountain Lions- and- is fourth in the MEC in rebounding at nine rebounds per game.
Concord comes into the game averaging a league fifth best 87.3 points per game- while they allow a league sixth best 83.7 points per night.
Walkelin talked about the Concord role players:
" They have good wing players in Briscoe and Jones. Also #22 and #23 (Kovac- and- Rea Mulumba) have their roles on the team as well."
Koenig and Wakelin talked about the contributions they have been getting of late as a unit- and- the home court advantage:
" We have been getting contributions from up and down the roster. It should be a fun atmosphere Thursday night. The place should be rocking. The season ticket holders have been great all year. The student body has been good as of late. The guys have worked their tails off- they deserve it."
Other MEC Games Wednesday:
Glenville State @Wheeling Jesuit
West Virginia Wesleyan @ West Liberty
Other Games Thursday:
Shepherd @West Virginia State
Fairmont State @Charleston
Virginia Wise @Urbana
MEC Standings:
West Liberty 16-2 (20-3)
NDC 14-4 (18-6)
Fairmont State 14-4 (17-7)
Charleston 12-6 (17-7)
Concord 11-7 (16-8)
West Virginia State 9-9 (12-12)
Shepherd 8-10 (12-12)
West Virginia Wesleyan 7-11 (10-14)
Glenville State 5-13 (10-14)
Wheeling Jesuit 5-13 (6-18)
Virginia Wise 4-14 (7-17)
Urbana 3-15 (5-17)
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