Box Score
SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio -- Eric Dummermuth may have stolen the show in becoming Notre Dame's all-time leading scorer, but the rest of Wednesday's show was a pretty good one as NDC downed Washington Adventist (Md.), 95-73.

On a shot from the low post at the 4:49-mark, Dummermuth -- a 6-foot-6 senior power forward from Dover, Ohio -- knocked down a bucket that would go in the record book as career point Nos. 2,272 and 2,273, leapfrogging Dummermuth over Jerome Pierce (2004-08) as the program's all-time leading scorer.  Dummermuth went on to score total of 20 points in the Falcon victory, leading a parade of five NDC scorers posting double-digit scoring totals in the convincing win.

The Falcons (9-12) got 20 from Dummermuth, 17 from Tyree Gaiter and 16 from Lawrence DeArmond in winning their third game in their last four. NDC is now 5-2 over its last seven games.

With the loss Washington Adventist (8-17) has now dropped four straight games. WAU had defeated NDC earlier this season (91-75 on Jan. 26), so the win served as a reprisal for the Falcons.

"Eric has been an absolute pleasure to coach,” said Head Coach Kevin Bille of his program's new all-time leading scorer. “He's a throwback-type player with a work ethic second to none, and he's from a great family. He's an extremely tough matchup for anyone because of his strength and his ability to finish inside.”

Notre Dame went 6-of-8 from the floor in opening up a 16-6 lead in the early minutes of action. The Falcons forced turnovers early and often against a Shock squad that came into the night with a road record of just 1-10.

When Tyree Gaiter knocked down a 14-foot jumper from the left short corner at 10:52, Notre Dame had built itself a 24-10 lead. The Falcons worked that lead to 17, but WAU rallied with a 15-5 run to get within seven (34-27) by the 3:45-mark.

The balance of the first half was a nearly even exchange, and NDC went into halftime with a nine-point lead, 40-31. Cam Carlin and Lawrence DeArmond each scored 11 points for the Falcons in the first half, a period that saw the home five force earn a plus-six in turnover margin (13-7).

In the second half, Notre Dame came out strong, going on an 11-6 run to up its lead to 14 points (51-37). Eric Dummermuth got hot, scoring seven points in a short stretch mid-half. Dummermuth drained a three at 12:21 to run his game total to 14 points. (He came into Wednesday's game needing 19 points to eclipse Pierce and move into first place on the scoring list.)

A three by Gaiter at 10:50 pushed the Falcon lead to 22, a lead that seemed to signify that a win could be had. “Could a scoring record be had?” was by that point the primary question on the minds of Falcon fans in a crowded Murphy Gymnasium.

After a rest on the bench, Dummermuth entered the game just inside the seven-minute mark. He promptly made a bucket from the left block, a signature bank shot with two defenders draped all over his 6-foot-6 frame, He scored again on Notre Dame's next possession to tie the scoring record.

And then, at 4:49, off a feed from Cam Carlin, and from that same left block whereupon Dummermuth has operated for the better part of his 3,900-minute collegiate career, the big forward got an uncharacteristically easy look. Free of the typical bruising defense that usually accompanies him on that part of the floor, the Dover, Ohio, native converted. Easily off the glass. Career point No. 2,272 and another.

The Falcons went on to win the game, 95-73.  One-hundred and sixty eight total points. Twenty for Dummermuth.

And two for the record book.

Not surprisingly, NDC's new record-holder also quietly lunch-pailed his way to a double-double in the game -- he had 11 rebounds in the contest.

“He's the best rebounder I've ever coached,” said Bille. “He's absolutely relentless on the glass.”

Dummermuth went 8-of-14 from the field on a night that saw the Falcons as a team shoot 47.6 percent (33-of-70) from the floor. Notre Dame has now scored 90-plus points in six of its last 10.

Falcon fans have seen big numbers from the team in the last several weeks.

And big numbers from big No. 32 in the last several years.