This week: Notre Dame College will travel to Fairmont, W.Va. at the Conference Challenge. The Falcons play Slippery Rock University on November 9 and California University of Pa. on November 10. Both games begin at 6 p.m.

Records: The Falcons finished last season with a record of 6-22. Slippery Rock had a 21-9 record in 2017-18 and Cal. Pa. went 11-17.

Coaches Corner: Tim Koenig is the head coach of the Falcons and enters his sixth season with an overall record of 70-79. Ian Grady is in his 10th season on the coaching staff of Slippery Rock and is in his first season as acting head coach. Danny Sancomb is also in his first season as the head coach of California University. Sancomb spent the last 11 seasons as the head coach at Wheeling Jesuit University, putting together a record of 216-115.

Rankings: None of these teams are ranked in the NABC Coaches poll.

Series History: NDC has never played Slippery Rock and the Falcons won their only matchup with California Pa. in the 2015-16 campaign.

Noting the Falcons: Notre Dame was picked to finish fourth in the Mountain East Conference preseason poll. NDC has to make up for seniors Oliver Megins and Kyauta Taylor, who were integral parts to the team. Both players appeared in all 28 games for NDC. Will Vorhees returns as a redshirt-senior after averaging 24.3 points and 10.7 rebounds-per-game in three games, before he went down with injury. Vorhees was named to Street & Smith's Second Team Preseason All-American on September 27th. Drew Scarberry was second on the team with a three point percentage of 39-percent. Angelo Cugini led the team with a field goal percentage of .506. NDC finished third in the Mountain East Conference in three point percentage (.371) and three pointers made (327). They recorded 15.79 assists-per-game, which was third in the conference.

Noting the Rock: Slippery Rock was named second place in the PSAC Western Division preseason poll. SRU beat Mercyhurst in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference tournament, but lost to Gannon in the next round. They finished last season, fifth in the PSAC in offense and defense, scoring 81.5 points-per-game and allowing 71.8 points. They also led the conference in field goal defense, holding opponents to a percentage of 40-percent. SHU ranked second with 5.14 blocked shots-per-game. Micah Till returns after averaging 21.3 points-per-game, 12 rebounds-per-game and 49-percent field goal percentage. Till was named to Street & Smith's Preseason All-American Second Team. Bruce Spruell averaged 11.3 points and shot 41-percent from three last year, while Brandon Simmons put up 10.2 points and eight rebounds and shot 49-percent from the field. Simmons was second in the PSAC with 84 total blocks.
 
Noting the Vulcans: California (Pa.) was picked fifth in the PSAC's Western Division preseason poll. In the PSAC, Cal. Pa. was in the bottom five in several categories. The Vulcans struggled with offensive rebounds-per-game, rebounds allowed, free throw percentage, three point field goal defense and field goal percentage. California had seven seniors on last season's team. Cordell Smith comes back as a senior after averaging 11.3 points-per-game and 3.6 rebounds in 2017-18.