WISE, Va. – It took a little over 10 minutes for the Notre Dame College women's basketball team to take a lead at UVa-Wise, but once the Falcons went up, they stayed up through the final buzzer to win 65-57 and secure the No. 2 seed in the MEC Tournament.
 
It was all Cavaliers for the first five minutes of the opening quarter as the home team got off to a 9-0 start before Seina Adachi broke the seal for NDC at the 5:01 mark with a good jump shot. A made three-pointer and layup from Abi Oriti put the Falcons within two points and by the end of the first quarter, the teams were tied at 13.
 
Oriti also made the first basket in the second quarter with another three. Between the end of the first and beginning of the second, NDC went on a 14-point run to go up 21-13. UVa-Wise would go on a run of its own to tie things up 21-21, but Notre Dame had found its rhythm and wouldn't give up their lead for the remainder of the contest.
 
Kim Cook, who came off the bench, scored eight of her team's 18 points in the second quarter to go into halftime with a 31-26 lead.
 
Things opened up again in the third quarter as the Cavaliers were outscored 16-9. With a double-digit lead heading into the final 10 minutes, the Falcons were in control. UVa-Wise made a push to get within four points late, but four free throws made by Marisa Finazzo sealed the victory for NDC.
 
Forwards Cook and Oriti had big games with a combined 30 points off the bench for Notre Dame, including five baskets from beyond the arc to successfully spread the floor.
 
"It's nice to have forwards that can shoot because they are able to feel out what we need from them," head coach Lauren Macer said. "They have opportunities to play around the rim and at the arc."
 
Cook led the team with 18 points while Oriti scored 12 before both eventually fouled out. Oriti also led the team with six rebounds. Senior guard Ciara Reed secured five rebounds as she also made an impact subbing in.
 
Finazzo and Adachi also both scored well with 12 and 10 points, respectively. Finazzo also led the team with six assists.
 
With the security of a second place, Macer has led NDC to its highest finish since joining the Mountain East Conference in her first season as head coach.
 
"I think the key for our team is that we have multiple players that can do a variety of things for us. We have solid players consistently playing solid games."
 
Notre Dame returns home next week to play West Liberty on Wednesday, February 21, at 5:30 p.m.