Box Score
SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio – The Notre Dame Falcons went into Monday's game at Murphy Gymnasium looking for back-to-back victories for the first time this season, but fell short, dropping a 69-60 overtime decision to the Shepherd Rams.
For the Falcons (4-11, 3-7 MEC) the loss was their sixth in eight games at home, while the victory for the Rams (7-11, 4-6 MEC) was their second in a row, and their third in their last four.
The Falcons scored the first four points of the contest, getting buckets from both
Kim Cook and
Kelsey Miller to stage an early 4-0 advantage, but the Rams came storming back, and answered with a 10-2 run, giving them a 10-6 lead just over four-and-a-half minutes into the contest.
While Shepherd led for the rest of the half, Notre Dame stayed well within striking distance. Shepherd took a 16-12 lead into the second quarter, but the Falcons never let the lead get any larger than six, and the Rams went into the half ahead by five (29-24).
The third quarter played out much like the second, with the Rams never trailing, but Notre Dame brought the deficit down to one on several occasions, and they went into the fourth quarter trailing by just two (45-43).
In the fourth quarter the game shifted over the final five minutes. Notre Dame shot 46.2-percent (6-for-13) from the floor in the fourth quarter, and used a pair of big 3-pointers from
Kyleigh Ramlow to help erase an eight point (59-51) deficit. The Falcons trailed by the aforementioned score with 4:23 to play, before Ramlow hit a 3-ball with just inside of four minutes left, and another at the 1:22-mark. After a big defense stop, the Falcons tied the game at 59-59 on a jumper from
Terrina Robinson with 31 seconds left.
Notre Dame's defense answered the bell yet again, on Shepherd's final offensive possession of regulation, as they forced a missed shot with just a few seconds remaining to force overtime.
Unfortunately for the Falcons, they were not able to carry over any of the momentum established by the 8-0 run to close-out the fourth quarter. Notre Dame was outscored, 10-1 in the overtime period, going 0-for-5 from the floor.
Miller and Cook led the way for the Falcons, as they each recorded double-doubles. Miller scored 19 points to go along with 10 rebounds and added three assists. Cook had 15 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and four steals. Robinson scored 14 points and added two assists.
The Falcons return to action on Thursday, Jan. 19, when they head to Urbana, Ohio, to square off against the Urbana Blue Knights. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
