Box Score SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio -- Notre Dame won its third straight game on Saturday afternoon, as the Falcons defeated Urbana, 70-53, at Murphy Gymnasium.  (Box)

Eight different Falcon players tallied four points or more as a well-balanced Notre Dame squad claimed victory for a third time in as many games after starting the season out with four straight losses.  NDC's leading scorer was Courtney Clark, who notched a career-high 19 points,

For Urbana (1-6), the loss marked its sixth in a row.

Notre Dame (3-4) was able to secure an early lead, maintain it throughout the first half and then extend it into double digits in a strong second period.  The final 17-point margin of victory marked the Falcons' largest of the season.

The Falcons jumped out to an early lead in the first half.  With a swarming defense, Notre Dame held Urbana to just three made shots in the Blue Knights' first 12 attempts from the floor.  That defensive effort coupled with a balanced attack on offense had NDC up eight, 14-6, by the 13:20-mark in the first.  The Falcons would lead by as many as 10 in the first frame, but with a late 6-0 run by the visiting five, Notre Dame's halftime led was just six (29-23).

Both teams shot roughly 35 percent from the field in the first (NDC 10-of-28, 35.7 percent, UU 11-of-31, 35.5); the difference on the scoreboard was spelled by a six-point advantage for NDC at the free-throw line.  Showing balance and depth up and down the roster, Notre Dame had eight players find the scoring column in the opening period.

In the second half, both sides misfired for a couple minutes before one team gathered some momentum with some made baskets in a string.  That team was the Falcons, who went on a 14-3 run, starting at the 18-minute mark.  That stretch put the Blue & White up big, 45-28.

NDC extended its lead to as many as 25 points in a half they dominated save for a couple minutes late in the game.  The Falcons shot 53.3 percent (16-of-30) in the second half to finish with a 44.8 percent (26-of-58) mark, the second-highest percentage the team has shot in their seven games.

Clark went 7-of-9 from the field and 1-for-1 from beyond the 3-point arc in piling up her 19 points.  The sophomore from Brecksville, Ohio, has now scored 31 points over NDC's last two games. 

Freshman guard Martha Nagbe added 13 points, six rebounds and three steals.  Alex Dackin had nine points and four boards.

Notre Dame held Urbana to a 35.4 percent (23-of-65) mark from the floor, and the Falcons did a nice job forcing the Blue Knights into bad passes.  NDC was a plus-seven in turnover margin -- the Falcons committed a season-low 15 miscues while forcing 22.

The Blue Knights were paced by junior center Andrea Vogel, who had 13 points, seven rebounds and four blocked shots.  With the loss Urbana remained winless in a half-dozen road tilts this season.  

Notre Dame's next game will be day one of a two-day tournament hosted by Shawnee State, Dec. 9-10.  The Falcons will face the host Bears at 6 p.m. on Dec. 9.


NOTES FROM TH NEST …

BUCKEYE BASH: Saturday's contest in South Euclid marked Notre Dame's third game this season against an Ohio foe.  The Falcons are 1-2 in those games and 11-4 over their last 15 games against in-state opponents. … NDC is now 3-5 all-time against Urbana.  Saturday's tilt marked the first game between Notre Dame and Urbana since Dec. 29, 2006. 

THRICE IS NICE: A three-game win streak is nothing new for NDC women's hoops.  Dating back to the 2008-09 season, Notre Dame has now put together 19 three-game winning streaks (inclusive of streaks of four-plus games) in the last four seasons.. … The Falcons' longest win streak in program history was 11 games, which were rattled off in succession from Dec. 2 to Jan. 11 in the 2004-05 season.  Last season, NDC's longest streak was an eight-gamer, from Nov. 16 to Dec. 9.

SEVENTY-SOMETHING: Notre Dame has now scored 70 points or more in three straight games.  In their previous four contests -- all losses - the falcons averaged 54.5 points per game.

RULE OF THIRDS: The Falcons have held foes to a 33.3 percent (64-of-192) mark from the field over their three-game winning streak.