Jaedon Willis and DeAirius Barker combined for 39 points on Saturday as the Falcons fell 87-67 to a surging University Of Charleston team at H.Bernard Wherle Arena. With a third straight loss NDC falls to 8-7 and 5-5 in the MEC. UC improves to 11-5 and 8-2 in the MEC with a sixth consecutive win.
"We dug ourselves a deep hole early and never could get out of it, "NDC head coach Mark Richmond explained. "
UC scored the games first four points and showed why they are the top defensive team in the MEC. Daylin Lee made a free throw to put the Falcons on the scoreboard. After a Keith Williams jumper put UC up 6-1 Willis knocked down a triple to make it a 6-4 game at the 16:58 mark of the opening half. The next five points went to the Golden Eagles before another Wills jumper made it an 11-6 deficit for NDC at the 15:13 mark of the half. UC would go on a 10-0 run over the next four minutes plus to extend the lead to 15. Javontae Jones made a free throw and a 3-pointer by Barker made it 21-10 with 10:07 in the half. Barker would bank in a triple at the 8:46 mark of the first half to make it a 25-15 lead for UC. After two Keaton Turner free throws the Falcons would see Tyland Crawford go on a personal 4-0 run to cut the deficit to eight (27-19) after two free throws at the 7:29 mark of the half. The Falcons would again go ice cold for the next three and a half minutes as UC went on another 10-0 run to open up a 37-19 lead with four minutes to go until halftime. Willis would hit a 3-pointer and a pair of free throws right before halftime. At the half NDC trailed 41-24.
The Falcons shot just 20 percent from the field in the opening half, 40 percent (4-10) from the 3-point line and 80 percent (8-10) at the free throw line. They had two assists and four turnovers in the half. Willis led the way with 10 points while Barker added eight.
UC was paced by Colbert with 11, Eberhart with 10, and Williams with nine in the opening half. They shot 64.3 percent from the field, 25 percent (3-12) from the 3-point line and went two of two at the free throw line. They out rebounded NDC 22-12 in the half, as they had seven assists and nine turnovers in the first 20 minutes.
NDC came out energized to start the second half. After back to back triples by Crawford and Lee was within 12 (46-34) with 17:01 to go. A jumper by Jamarr Talbert made it a 10 point game (46-36) the next time down the floor. UC would then go on a 9-1 run capped by a Williams jumper that made it an 18 point game (55-37) with 13:38 to go. NDC would get no closer than 16 the rest of the way as they suffered a third straight loss.
Richmond talked about it postgame:
"Charleston is really good defensively so taking quick shots to erase a deficit doesn't work against them. You have to stay patient and get good looks because if you don't that means you're going to be playing defense the majority of the game."
Willis finished the game with 22 points as he went 6 of 17 from the field, 2-6 from the point line and 8-8 at the free throw line. Barker was 7-12 from the field as he scored 17 to go along with 3 assists. Lee added eight while Crawford scored seven and led the team with six rebounds. As a team NDC shot 32.8 percent from the field, 36 percent (9-25) from the 3-point line and 76.2 percent (16-21) from the free throw line. They had eight assists and seven turnovers in the contest.
Williams had 20 points, six rebounds, and five assists to lead the Golden Eagles. Eberhart added 16 points and eight rebounds, Colbert tallied 14 points and eight rebounds, while CJ Meredith tallied 13. UC shot 66.7 percent from the field, 30 percent (6-20) from the 3-point line, and 60 percent (9-15) from the free throw line. They won the rebounding battle 40-27. UC had 12 assists and 15 turnovers in the contest.
NDC will look to get back to their winning ways on Wednesday when they travel to Wheeling to take on the Cardinals. Tip time is set for 7:30 PM.
Other MEC Scores Saturday:
Glenville State 100 West Virginia Wesleyan 53
West Virginia State 82 Alderson Broaddus 79
Fairmont State 101 West Liberty 76
Concord 86 Davis & Elkins 73
Wheeling 83 Frostburg State 78
MEC Standings:
West Virginia State 9-1 (15-1)
West Liberty 9-1 (14-2)
Charleston 8-2 (11-5)
Fairmont State 7-3 (12-4)
Concord 7-3 (10-4)
Glenville State 6-4 (10-6)
NDC 5-5 (8-7)
Davis & Elkins 3-7 (9-7)
Alderson Broaddus 3-7 (4-10)
Frostburg State 1-9 (5-11)
Wheeling 1-9 (3-13)
West Virginia Wesleyan 1-9 (1-13)
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