Box Score
Wise, VA. – The Notre Dame Falcons used the three-point shot to grab the lead and secure the 98-89 road win over the Virginia-Wise Cavaliers on Tuesday night.
The win for the Falcons (12-2, 6-2 MEC) is their ninth straight victory. NDC is 5-1 on the road this season, their best start away from the Murphy Gymnasium since joining NCAA Division-II. The program has now reached 12 wins faster than any season, since the 2009-2010 campaign. The Cavaliers (3-11, 1-7 MEC) are 2-6 at home and 1-4 in their last five contests, overall.
Virginia-Wise shot well to start the game and were able to hang with the Falcons for the first nine minutes of the contest. Virginia-Wise's Taiwo Badmus was successful on a layup attempt at the 12:55-mark in the first half, which put the Cavaliers up, 10-5. Badmus scored six of his team's first ten points.
After falling down by five, the Falcons quickly took a double-digit lead, 24-12, thanks to a 19-2 run. The offensive output was fueled by
Oliver Megins who drained three, three-point baskets from the 12:37-mark until the 9:19-mark in the first half.
NDC never looked back in the first half as their red-hot shooting continued.
Kyauta Taylor made three, three-pointers in the final seven minutes to cap his 18-point first half. The Falcons shot 16-for-35 (46-percent) from the field in the first stanza.
In the second half, the Falcons kept their foot on the gas pedal, whether it was on the offensive or defensive end. Badmus made two layups for the Cavaliers to open the half, but then Notre Dame put the next seven points on the board.
Notre Dame took the largest lead of the game when Megins hit a layup with 14:11 left to play. The Falcons went up by 28 points, 60-32.
Virginia-Wise did not go away quietly, as they responded by putting up the next eight points to reduce the deficit to 20 points, 60-40.
They would put together a second 8-0 run beginning at the 3:56-mark in the second half, but still trailed by 12 points, 87-75, following the run.
The Falcons shot an incredible 49-percent from the field and went 15-for-34 (44-percent) beyond the three-point line. NDC outrebounded Virginia-Wise, 49-39, in the game. Taylor ended the game with 32 points and went 7-for-10 (70-percent) from 3-point land and dished out seven assists.
Kobie Johnson added 12 points and
Drew Scarberry had 14 points. Megins had a solid game, scoring 15 points and adding six rebounds and five assists.
Will Vorhees recorded another double-double, as he went for 21 points and 17 boards.
Virginia-Wise shot 36-percent from the field, as a team. They were held to 28-percent behind the three-point line.
Notre Dame will return home to battle #2 Fairmont State on Jan. 14 at Murphy Gymnasium. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m.
