This week: Notre Dame College men's basketball plays two tough conference road games beginning with Wheeling Jesuit University on January 17 at 7:30 p.m. They will also battle Urbana University on January 20 at 4 p.m.

Records: The Falcons currently hold a 4-12 overall record and are 2-8 in the Mountain East Conference. Wheeling Jesuit has a record of 13-2, overall, and they are 9-1 in conference play. UU is currently 3-12 and 2-8 in the MEC.

Coaches Corner: Tim Koenig is currently in his fifth season at the helm of the Falcons and holds an overall record of 68-69 and has an MEC record of 43-55. Danny Sancomb is in his 11th season as head coach at WJU and has a record of 203-111. Nick Dials is in his first season as the head coach with the Blue Knights.

Rankings: Wheeling Jesuit is currently ranked 16th in the latest NABC Division II Coaches Poll. The Cardinals are also ranked 4th in the D2SIDA Atlantic Region Poll.

Series History: Notre Dame holds a 2-8 all-time record against WJU since 2013-14. The Cardinals defeated NDC by a score of 91-80 on November 29. The Falcons are 10-4 against Urbana since the series started in 2001-02. Last season, Notre Dame split the season series with the Blue Knights.

Noting the Falcons: Notre Dame fell to Shepherd University by a score of 94-91 on January 11. In the game, which came down to the final possession, Kyauta Taylor went 9-for-18 (50-percent) from the floor and 6-for-11 (55-percent) from three point range. In total, four players scored in double-digits. Levi Frankland scored 18 off the bench. The Falcons shot a season-high 54-percent, overall, including 58-percent in the first half. On January 13, Notre Dame, again, had four players score in double-digits in a 107-78 loss to Fairmont State. Taylor led the team with 19 points and also had eight rebounds. Angelo Cugini recorded his fourth double-double of the season by recording 14 points and 14 rebounds. Oliver Megins had a career-high in rebounds with 10 boards and he also scored five points. Megins leads the team, and ranks second in the MEC, from three point range by shooting 48-percent. Taylor is averaging 19.2 points-per-game and 5.1 rebounds-per-game and leads the team in total assists with 58, steals with 34 and total points with 307. He also ranks second in the MEC with 20 steals and is fifth in assist/turnover ratio. The Falcons are second in the conference and sixth in the nation in three point field goals made. NDC is also fifth in the conference in three point field goal percentage (.376).  Notre Dame spreads the ball around and is third in the MEC in assists with 146.

Noting the Cardinals: Wheeling Jesuit snuck past Concord University on January 11 with a 69-67 win, after Concord outscored the Cardinals 40-31 in the second half. Pat Moseh scored 18 points and grabbed six rebounds. Jeremiah Wilson (12 points, 14 rebounds) and Haywood Highsmith (13 points, 11 rebounds) each had a double-double. WJU shot just 21-percent (4-for-19) from behind the three point line in the game. On January 13, the Cardinals topped the University of Virginia-Wise by a score of 86-72. Highsmith had 20 points and six rebounds, his first game without a double-double in those two categories all season. Moseh had 16 points, 10 rebounds and six assists while Wilson added 10 points and 12 rebounds. The Cardinals shot 48-percent from the floor and 54-percent from three. Moseh scores 17.3 points-per-game and Wilson scores 10.9 ppg and grabs 8.3 rebounds-per-game. Highsmith averages 21.4 ppg and 12.4 rpg and shoots 57-percent. In the MEC, he ranks second in points-per-game and first in the conference in rebounds-per-game and defensive rebounds-per-game. Highsmith also ranks first in the country in rebounds-per-game and sixth in defensive rebounds-per-game, as well as, first in double-doubles with 13. As a team, the Cardinals lead the MEC in scoring defense with the least amount of points allowed-per-game (71.4). They are second in the MEC in scoring margin at plus-11.1 points and hold teams to a .332 three point percentage, which ranks third in the conference.

Noting the Blue Knights: On January 11, Urbana fell to Fairmont State by a score of 67-57. Even with 17 points off 13 turnovers, the Blue Knights shot just 40-percent from the floor and 33-percent from three. Abdul Kanu shot 6-for-11 and had 12 points off of the bench. AJ Washington, who grabs 6.7 rebounds-per-game, had 11 rebounds and four blocks. UU then lost to Shepherd in overtime by a 61-58 score. The Blue Knights were held to 27 combined points in the second half and overtime. Malik Jacobs shot 6-for-15 and scored 20 points while grabbing nine rebounds and blocking four shots. The Blue Knights shot 48-percent, for the game. Jacobs leads the team with 17.3 ppg and is second in field goal percentage at 54-percent and rebounds-per-game with 5.5. He ranks third in the conference in three point percentage (54-percent). Urbana is fourth in the MEC in scoring defense, allowing only 79.7 points-per-game. As a team the Blue Knights shoot free throws at 76-percent, second in the MEC and UU is third in the MEC in three point percentage at 39-percent.