Box Score
SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio -- Notre Dame snapped a four-game losing streak, netting an 87-58 win over Wilberforce on Saturday.

With an impressive all-around performance in front of a home crowd at Murphy Gymnasium, the Falcons posted a season-high in scoring. The victory marks NDC's first since Nov. 19, and the game closed out a busy stretch for the Blue & White.  The contest against Wilberforce (2-9) marked Notre Dame's seventh game in a 14-day stretch.

The Falcons (2-7) went 2-5 in that stretch, struggling at the outset of games on more than once occasion.  On Saturday, though, NDC came out strong and then maintained an early lead throughout behind solid play up and down the roster and on both sides of the floor.

“I was pleased with our effort, hustle and execution today,” said NDC Head Coach Katie Hine.  “We showed some growth in how we approached this game.”

When Saturday's game tipped off, the temperature outside Murphy Gymnasium was an unseasonably warm 51 degrees.  Inside it was Notre Dame shooting that was warmed up.  The Falcons hit five of their first nine shots in opening an early 13-3 lead.  Meanwhile, Wilberforce was cold, and an energetic NDC defense was forcing turnovers early and often.

By the six-minute mark, the Falcons extended their lead to 15 (30-15).  NDC's effort on offense was a well-balanced one, with eight players finding the scoring column in the first 14 minutes of play.

In the balance of the first half, Notre Dame extended its lead to 20 points and eventually went into halftime with a 46-24 lead. 

After having shot just 30.1 percent (34-of-113) over their previous two games, the Falcons shot a robust 45.7 percent (16-of-35) in the opening 20 minutes of play, including a 5-of-11 mark on 3-pointers.  Lauren Macer and Molly Ritz each logged 10 points in the first.  They were the leading edge of an offense that produced runs of 12-3, 11-4 and 16-4 in piling up a season-best 46 points for one half of basketball.

Notre Dame scored 24 of the first 28 points in the second half to open a 70-28 lead by the 12:15-mark.  In that spurt, the Falcons went 11-of-18 from the field while the Bulldogs went just 3-of-15.

That dominance continued to play itself out despite liberal substitutions and a multitude of lineup combinations being tested by the NDC coaching staff. Balanced scoring, dialed-in shooting, hard-nosed defense and a solid floor game maintained the better part of a 40-point lead for most of the rest of the game.  The Bulldogs got within 30 late, but the final result -- a 29-point margin -- stands as Notre Dame's largest win of the season.

The Falcons, who had previously eclipsed a 40-percent mark from the field just once this season, shot 47.8 percent (33-of69) from the field for the game,  NDC was 8-of18 (44.4 percent) from beyond the 3-point arc and 13-of-15 (86.7 percent) at the free-throw line.

Notre Dame had a season-high five players score double-digit point totals.  Lauren Macer and Molly Ritz paced that crown with 14-point afternoons.  Kym Bowsher had a big game on the boards for Notre Dame; she had 10 rebounds, seven of which came on the offensive glass.

Danielle Ledrich, Celine Mangan, and Kate Stumphauzer had 10 points apiece.  That trio went a combined 6-of-8 from 3-point land.

Dominique Fischer was WU's leading scorer; she had 17 points.

The victory marked Notre Dame's first at home this season; NDC is now 2-1 on its home hardwood this season.  Saturday's 29-point margin of victory marked the program's widest since Feb. 18, 2012.  The Blue & White are now 5-2 all-time against Wilberforce, with the five victories coming in succession.  The Falcons have scored 85-plus points in each of their last four wins over the Bulldogs.

The Falcons will look to keep their offense in gear against a tough foe -- the Gannon (Pa.) Golden Knights -- in their next game.  Gannon is currently ranked No. 11 in the USA Today Coaches Poll.  The NDC-GU game is slated for Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.