Box Score
WEST LIBERTY, W. Va. -- Playing on the road against the No. 1 ranked team in the country is never an easy task, but that's exactly what the Falcons faced on Monday night against the host West Liberty Hilltoppers. The visiting Falcons fell short in their task, but battled until the end in an 84-78 road loss at WLU.

Kyauta Taylor led NDC with 25 points on 10-15 shooting, including 5-8 on 3-pointers, while Will Vorhees had 21 points, 15 rebounds and two blocks for NDC.

The Falcons (12-6 overall, 6-6 Mountain East) jumped out to a hot start, taking a 19-15 lead just seven minutes into the game. Both sides continued to battle in a back-and-forth affair, and NDC trailed by just two points at the halftime break, 46-44.

Vorhees and Taylor had 12 points and 11 points, respectively, as strong first half performance gave the Falcons confidence going into the second half of action. 

NDC opened the second half on a 14-9 run, capped by a jumper from Ja'Sean Lewis, as the Falcons took a 58-55 lead with 15:05 remaining. Following the same theme from the first half, both the Falcons and Hilltoppers continued to go punch for punch.

Following a Hilltoppers runs, Lewis hit another jumper to trim NDC's deficit to just one, 70-69, with 8:40 remaining in the game. 

WLU pushed its lead back to six two possessions, 79-73, before Taylor splashed a 3-pointer to bring the Falcons within three with 3:39 left in regulation. The Hilltoppers split a pair of free throws and hit a jumper, again pushing the lead to six over NDC.

But once again, the Falcons fought back as Vorhees hit a jumper, assisted by Tyree Gaiter, with 1:06 remaining to cut the deficit to just four, 82-78. 

NDC fouled on the ensuing possession, and the Hilltoppers missed the front end of a 1-and-1 opportunity to give NDC possession with 39 seconds remaining. After failing to convert on offense the Falcons fell short in their road battle at No. 1 West Liberty, 84-78. 

With the loss, the Falcons fall to 12-6 on the season, including a 6-6 mark in MEC play.

NDC will return to action on Thursday, Jan. 28 at home against West Virginia Wesleyan in another MEC battle. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 pm in Murphy Gym.