The Notre Dame College Falcons will close the regular season with a battle with Urbana University inside the Grimes Center. Tip time is set for 4 PM Saturday and you can catch all the action on NotreDameFalcons.com
NDC (9-18 7-14 MEC) would be the ninth seed in the MEC Tournament if the season began today.
Coach Mark Richmond talked about being in for a battle Saturday:
" It is obviously a tough road test for our team. Urbana is playing well. They have won two out of the last three at home against West Virginia State and Wheeling. They have a lot of young guys- they have really grown up as freshman and they are now sophomores. It will be a difficult task to go into Urbana and win. We need our best effort. We need to rebound- and- make shots.It is two different styles of play. We will spread them out- and- make them guard us on the perimeter. They will put there heads down and go to the rim"Richmond explained.
The Falcons are coming off of a 86-72 loss to West Liberty. Defensively the Falcons were just the fourth team this season to hold the top scoring team in the country to under 90 points. DeAnthony Owens led NDC with 24 points- Levi Frankland added 14- Drew Scarberry netted 13- and- Jordan Burton contributed 11. NDC shot 45 percent as a team- 44 percent (10-23) from the 3-point line- and- 63 percent (10-16) from the free throw line. The Falcons are sixth in the MEC averaging 77.8 points per game- while defensively they allow a MEC seventh best 80.3 points per contest. On the glass the Falcons are sixth in the MEC in margin being out rebounded 34.0-34.4 rebounds.
Frankland leads NDC in scoring at 17.2 points per night- the Australian native is shooting 54 percent from the field which is sixth in the MEC- while he shoots 43 percent from the 3-point line. His 2.3 made 3-pointer's per game are good for seventh in the MEC. Owens is notching 16.9 points per game- leads the team at six rebounds per contest- shoots 50 percent from the field- and- 79 percent from the free throw line. Scarberry nets 15.9 per game- grabs 5.5 rebounds per night- and-shoots 35 percent from the 3-point line. His 2.4 made 3-pointer's per game are sixth in the MEC. Jordan Burton leads the team- and- is eighth in the MEC dishing out 3.6 assists per contest. The freshman from Toledo is also tallying 9.7 points per contest.
Urbana (7-20 6-15 MEC) will celebrate senior day on Saturday. They are coming off a 74-67 win over Wheeling last time out. Mike Ryan led the way with 16 points off the bench- Mario Lacy netted 14- and- Shaun Monroe tallied 13. Kyle Kegley grabbed nine rebounds in the contest to lead the team.
Richmond talked briefly about the dynamic of senior day:
"We had one of course as well. It is a different dynamic- sometimes it takes a few minutes for the team who had the ceremony to refocus but Urbana does not have a lot of seniors. To be honest last Saturday against West Virginia State I think it helped us get off to a better start since they had seven seniors. It can be emotional and bigger crowds could be a factor on senior day."
The Blue Knights score 67.5 points per game- while they allow 74.3 points per night which is second in the MEC.
Richmond talked about the defensive plan:
"We will try and keep them out of the paint. They won against West Virginia State and Wheeling because they didn't settle- they drove it to the rim."
Monroe leads the team in scoring at 11.8 points per game- Horn puts up 11.5 per night- Jordan Bradley tallies 10.7 per contest- while Mario Lacy (10.4 ppg-) also averages double figures. Kegley leads the team in rebounding at 6.3 per contest.
Scarberry talked about getting some momentum going into the conference tourney:
" We need to get a win and get some momentum going into the tourney."Scarberry stated.
Bruce Hodges gave his thought:
" We definitely feel like if we come to play good things will happen."Hodges mentioned.
Richmond talked what he expects Saturday:
"We will be in for a dog fight- a 40 minute battle. Both teams have plenty to play for."
Other MEC Games Saturday:
Davis& Elkins @ West Virginia Wesleyan
Wheeling @ West Liberty
West Virginia State @ Charleston
Glenville State @ Concord
Frostburg State @ Fairmont State
MEC Standings:
West Liberty 18-3 (23-4)
Charleston 16-5 (22-5)
Fairmont State 15-6 (21-6)
West Virginia State 13-8 (18-8)
Wheeling 11-10 (14-11)
Glenville State 10-11 (13-14)
West Virginia Wesleyan 9-12 (10-17)
Concord 8-13 (11-16)
NDC 7-14 (9-18)
Frostburg State 7-14 (10-17)
Urbana 6-15 (7-20)
Davis & Elkins 6-15 (8-19)
Atlantic Region Rankings:
1. Indiana (Pa)
2. West Liberty
3. Fairmont State
4. Shippensburg
5. Charleston
6. Virginia State
7. MercyHurst
8. Johnson C.Smith
9. Fayetville State
10. West Virginia State
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