Box Score SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio -- The Notre Dame Falcons saw an upset effort fall just short on Saturday afternoon at Murphy Gymnasium, as they fell in the final minutes to Fairmont State, dropping a 72-62 decision.
For the Falcons (12-11, 8-9 MEC) the loss was just their third in 11 games at home this season, while the victory for Fairmont State (17-6, 14-3 MEC) was their ninth in a row, and their fifth in a row on the road.
The game saw the lead change hands 13 times, and the game was tied on six separate occasions. Fairmont State was able to pull away thanks to an incredible advantage on the glass, outrebounding NDC, 40-29, and they iced the game by making their free throws, hitting 81.8-percent (18-for-22) from the charity stripe.
It was a tightly contested battle right from the beginning, and over the first 12 minutes of the contest, with the lead changing hands nine different times. During that stretch, neither side was able to take a lead larger than four, until Fairmont State went on their first big run.
Tyree Gaiter's layup gave the Falcons a 22-21 advantage with 7:56 remaining in the half, when FSU began to hit their stride. Over the next two minutes of the contest, Fairmont State went on a 12-2 run to take a nine point (33-24) advantage.
Over the final six minutes of the half, the Falcons were able to battle back, and they narrowed the deficit down to three (37-34) after
Najeeb Johnson hit a jumper with 55 seconds left in the half, which would prove to be the tall after one half of action.
In the first half, Notre Dame shot 13-for-29 (44.8-percent) from the floor, and they shot well from 3-point land as well, hitting on 4-of-9 (44.4-percent) from 3-point land.
Notre Dame was able to tie the game on their first possession of the second half, as
Oliver Megins buried a 3-poitner to knot things up at 37-37.
Much like the first half of play, the second half was very tightly contested, with neither side able to take a sizeable advantage. Notre Dame was tied up with Fairmont State, 58-58, with just under seven minutes remaining, when FSU hit their stride to pull away.
Over the next five minutes of the contest, Fairmont State went on an 8-0 run, taking a 66-58 advantage with just under two minutes remaining.
Tyree Gaiter got the Falcons out of their funk, hitting a pair of free throws with 1:04 left in the contest, but FSU hit a number of free throws in the final minute to pull away.
Gaiter led the way for the Falcons with 22 points, and added three steals. Megins scored 11 points for the Falcons and added a pair of blocks.
Lawrence DeArmond paced the Falcons on the glass with eight rebounds, and five assists to go along with nine points.
The Falcons are in action again on Thursday, Feb. 12, when they play host to West Virginia Wesleyan at Murphy Gymnasium in more MEC action. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
