SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio – Notre Dame routed Ohio State-Mansfield Wednesday by a final score 114-48. The game was a final non-conference tune-up for Notre Dame, which now begins the full-time American Mideast Conference (AMC) portion of their schedule. (Box)

The Falcons' 114-point barrage is a season-high and the most they've scored in a single game since Nov. 16, 2007 (115-52 win over Miami-Hamilton). The game was also an opportunity for the NDC bench to log some valuable playing time. Ten Falcons scored in the game and the Falcon bench scored a total of 63 points. Junior guard #Cory Emerine# led the bench corps and all scorers with a career-high 22 points.

In the first half of play, Notre Dame (12-5, 1-0) jumped out to a commanding lead, scoring 19 of the game's first 21 points by the 15-minute mark. NDC scored a multitude of baskets on fast breaks against an overmatched Ohio State-Mansfield (1-17) squad. The Falcons ran their lead to 30 points, 49-19, by the four-minute mark and took an eventual 59-25 lead into their Murphy Gymnasium locker room by halftime.

#Kevin Bille#'s bench was used liberally in the first half, and nine NDC players found the scoring column, led by the 13 each scored Eric Dummermuth and Eric Maag. The Falcons forced the Mavericks into 12 turnovers and out-rebounded them, 23-11, in the opening frame.

Notre Dame's 59 points mark a new season-best for points scored in a half. The Blue & White shot 61.9 percent (26-for-42) from the field and went 5-of-11 from 3-point range in building their 34-point cushion by halftime.

The second half was more of the same, as the Mavericks managed just 23 points on 22.2 percent (8-for-36) shooting. The second half was played almost entirely by the NDC bench. Four Falcon reserves logged 20-plus minute in the game.

Emerine scored his 22 on 9-of-12 shooting. He was 4-of-7 from 3-point range. As a team, Notre Dame tied a season-high with 11 treys. Sophomore guard #Eric Maag scored 18 points, and senior guard #Jeff Johnson# added 16.

For the game, the Falcons shot 56.8 percent (50-for-88) from the field; that marks their best shooting performance since Nov. 21.

For Mansfield, four Mavericks scored in double-figures. Jeremy Peyton led the way with a 13-point, 11-rebound effort. The Falcons held OSU-M to a 27.4 percent (17-for-62) mark from the floor.

NDC out-rebounded the Mavericks, 59-28, for the game.  #Zach Jacobsen# and #Paul Spencer# led the Falcons on the glass, with 11 and 10 boards, respectively.  Spencer added 10 points to garner his first career double-double.  The Blue & White also won the game in the turnover department, forcing 19 miscues while committing 11 of their own.

The victory for Notre Dame closes out their 2008-09 regular season non-conference slate. The Falcons' 11-5 non-league mark sets a new program record for both wins and winning percentage (.688).

The win is NDC's second straight and fourth in their last five games.  The Falcons' margin of victory (66 points) set a new program record.

“This was a good night for a lot of kids that needed the minutes at this time of year,” said head coach Kevin Bille.

Wednesday's game kicked off a four-game home stand for the Falcons. The Blue & White will also be at home on College Road on Jan. 10, 13 and 17. NDC's schedule calls for seven of the team's next nine games to be on their Murphy Gymnasium hardwood, where the team is 6-2 this season and 23-13 (.639) over the last three years.

That home stand will continue on Saturday, Jan. 10, when NDC welcomes the Racers of Northwestern Ohio. Tipoff is slated for 4 p.m. as the second half of a women's-men's doubleheader at Murphy Gymnasium.

NOTES FROM THE NEST…

MEET THE MAVERICKS: OSU-Mansfield is a regional campus of Ohio State University. The Mavericks are a member of the 11-school Ohio Regional Campus Conference (ORCC) and compete in five intercollegiate sports.

BIG 'D': Coming into Wednesday's game, the Falcons had allowed 67.0 points per game, and they've held foes to a 39.6% (401-for-1,012) mark from the floor. The Falcons rank 12th in the nation in field goal defense. … Last season, the Blue & White's defense yielded an average of 71.6 points per game. ... In their 12 victories this season, the Falcons have yielded just 61.1 points per contest.

CALENDAR FLIP FINE WITH FALCONS: With Wednesday's victory, NDC starts the 2009 calendar year off with back-to-back wins. That's nothing new for Kevin Bille's Falcon squad. Over the last three seasons (2006-09), NDC is now 17-4 (.810) in January games. They have an overall mark of 45-34 (.570) in that same stretch.

DUMMERMUTH EARNS LEAGUE HONOR: Eric Dummermuth was named the AMC's Player of the Week on Tuesday for the week of Dec. 29. In three games on the week, Dummermuth averaged 21.0 points and 12.0 boards per game. … The 6-foot-6 forward tallied 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting against Mansfield.