Box Score URBANA, Ohio -- A late surge in the final minutes of Wednesday night's game for the Falcons was not enough, as they fell on the road to Urbana, 68-65. (Box)

For the Falcons (5-12) the loss marks their fifth straight away from home, and their eighth in their last nine games overall.  For Urbana (5-11) the victory completes a season sweep of the Falcons, and is their first since defeating NDC back on Jan. 11.

Both teams shot the ball very well in the opening half, but neither side was able to pull away.  The Falcons led by as many as six (18-12), while Urbana led by as many as five (35-30). 

Urbana held a 12-9 lead seven minutes into the half, before the Falcons went on a 9-0 run over the next three minutes to mount their largest lead of the opening stanza. The contest was tied at 27-27, with five minutes to play, when Urbana turned it on and scored eight out of the game's next 11 points to take the lead.

The Falcons shot 50.0-percent (13-for-26) in the opening 20 minutes, while Urbana hit on 56.0-percent (14-for-25) of their shots from the floor.  Taylor Rieger scored 10 first half points, on 4-of-6 shooting (66.6-percent). 

Urbana scored the first four points of the second half, and found themselves ahead, 38-32, before the Falcons went on an 8-2 run, capped by a Phil Biggs 3-ball at the 17:10-mark to tie the game at 40-40. 

The tides turned quickly on NDC, however, as the Blue Knights answered NDC's comeback with a 16-4 run over the next eight minutes, and found themselves ahead, 56-44, with nine minutes remaining in the contest.  After Biggs's big 3-ball, the Falcons hit just two out of their next nine shots from the floor, and turned the ball over five times.

Notre Dame cashed in at the free throw line and got themselves back within striking distance.  Rieger and Nathan Ensz combined to hit six straight free throws inside the seven minute mark, and Marcquice Taylor's layup with 4:50 remaining, narrowed the deficit down to five (61-56). 

Urbana's Ramel Mitchell hit a 3-pointer with 2:46 remaining in the contest, and the Falcons kept the Blue Knights off the scoreboard the rest of the way.  NDC dropped the deficit to three (68-65) after Taylor and Troy Baugh hit layups on back-to-back NDC possessions and Taylor drained a pair of free throws with 1:55 to go. 

The Falcons had two chances to tie the game.  Biggs stole the ball with 1:32 to go, but missed a jumper on the opposite end.  Raphi Tekie stole the ball from the Blue Knights with 40 seconds on the clock, but Biggs's 3-ball missed with four seconds to go. 

A trio of Falcons scored in double figures.  Rieger led the way for NDC with 16 points, while Biggs added 13 points and Taylor contributed with 12.  Biggs pulled down six rebounds on the evening and Taylor added four assists. 

The Blue & White shot the ball extremely well from the free throw line, netting 86.7-percent (13-for-15) of their shots from the stripe.  NDC shot 46.9-percent (23-for-49) from the floor and hit on 37.5-percent (6-for-16) of their shots from 3-point land. 

The Falcons are in action again on Wednesday, Jan. 27, when they head home, to take on Wilberforce at Murphy Gymnasium. Tip-off is slated for 7:00 PM.

NOTES FROM THE NEST ...

BATTLING THE BLUE KNIGHTS: Wednesday's contest marked the fifth meeting between the Falcons and Blue Knights.  Urbana holds a 3-2 edge in the overall series.  It also marked the first matchup between the two teams in Urbana since 2002.  The Falcons are 1-2 all time in Urbana, and before Wednesday night's game, last met the Blue Knights on enemy soil back on Nov. 8, 2002, coming away with a 67-63 victory.

70'S SECRET: In four out of their five victories this season, the Falcons have scored 70 points or more, with the lone exception being their 65-62 win over Houghton, back on Dec. 10.  On the year, NDC is averaging 69.7 points per game over 17contests.