LAS VEGAS -- No. 12-ranked (NAIA-I) Westminster (Utah) withstood a late rally by Notre Dame and claimed a 55-53 win in the first game of the Las Vegas Hoopla tournament on Friday. (Box)

Having trailed for most of the game and down seven (48-41) with 7:50 to play, the Falcons (7-4) eventually tied the game, 50-50, on a pair of #Eric Dummermuth# free throws at 1:56. Westminster (7-4) responded by scoring the game's next five points before Dummermuth hit a trey at 1:03 to bring NDC within two, at 55-53. Neither team scored in the final 60 ticks, and with the Falcons coming up short, they have now lost four straight games. The last two NDC losses have been by two points each.

Dummermuth posted game-highs in both points (19) and rebounds (10) against the Griffins, who have now won four straight and six of their last seven.

The contest was game one of 13 for the Las Vegas Hoopla tournament, which features teams from across the United States.

Westminster outshot Notre Dame, 52 percent to 41, in the opening frame, as the Griffins built a 29-24 lead after 20 minutes.

For the game Westminster shot 46.0 percent (23-for-50) from the field. NDC shot 42.3 percent (22-for-52). Three players (Weston Anderson, Blair Prowse, Ben Walker) scored 12 points each to pace Westminster offensively. Walker, a 6-foot-7 forward, also had a team-high seven boards and four blocks in the game.

For NDC, Dummermuth's 19 points were backed up by center #Karim McFarlane#'s 12, a season-high. Sophomore forward #Phil Biggs# added 11 points (on 5-of-7 shooting) and seven rebounds. #Curtis McClure# scored eight points off the Falcon bench.

The Falcons' second-leading scorer for the season, guard #Nick McCartney#, was held scoreless in the games, going 0-for-8 from the field. McCartney did dish out five assists in the loss.

Notre Dame will close out their participation in the two-day invitational on Saturday with a 5 p.m. tip against Hope International (Calif.)


NOTES FROM THE NEST …

MEET THE GRIFFINS: Westminster College is located in Salt Lake City, Utah. The College was founded in 1875 and has an enrollment of 3,000. In athletics, the Griffins compete in 13 sports (six men's, seven women's), including skiing and snowboarding for both men and women. WC is an NAIA-I school for basketball and they compete in the Frontier Conference. … The Griffins went 30-5 a year ago (2008-09) en route to earning a berth in the NAIA National Championship, where they advanced to the quarterfinals. … Friday marked the first meeting between Notre Dame and Westminster.

STUCK IN NEUTRAL: NDC is now 1-2 in three neutral-site games this season. The Falcons are 6-7 in neutral-site games over their nine-year history.

FOUR ON THE FLOOR: Notre Dame's current four-game losing streak is the longest the program has endured since the 2005-06 season (Dec. 17-Jan. 3). The Falcons are shooting just 43.6 percent (102-for-234) in the skid, compared to the 50.2 percent (213-for-424) the Falcons hung on their first seven opponents.