This Week: Notre Dame College hosts Shepherd and Fairmont State this week. The Falcons will play Shepherd tonight, February 7, at 5:30 p.m. before taking on FSU on Saturday, February 9, at 2 p.m.  
 
Records: The Falcons are currently 11-9 (8-6 MEC) after splitting a pair of MEC games last week. Shepherd has an identical 11-9 (8-6 MEC) record and also split their MEC games a week ago. Fairmont State is 8-12 (5-9 MEC) after losing three of its last four contests.     
 
Coaches Corner: Lauren Macer is in her second season as the head coach of the NDC women's basketball program. She holds a record of 34-18, 25-11 MEC. Jenna Eckleberry is in her fifth season at Shepherd where she is 70-73 overall and 52-46 in the MEC. Steve McDonald, the winningest coach in Fairmont State's history, is in his 19th season with the Fighting Falcons and his 22nd season as a collegiate head coach. At FSU, McDonald is 362-192 (68-54 MEC); overall he is 417-227.
 
Rankings: None of these teams were ranked in the February 4 Women's Basketball Coaches Association poll.
 
Series History: The Falcons are 7-4 against both Shepherd and Fairmont State. NDC lost to both teams, back-to-back, earlier in the season. During head coach Lauren Macer's first season, Notre Dame was 2-0 against both teams.
 
Noting the Falcons: Notre Dame is 5-3 at home this season and has won the last three games played in Murphy Gymnasium. Dating back to last season, the Falcons are 17-5 on their home court, including 15-3 against Mountain East Conference teams. NDC will look to continue building that stellar home record against two teams it is a combined 7-3 at home against since joining the MEC. Notre Dame has only lost to Fairmont State once at home, during the 2014-15 season.
 
Noting the Rams: Shepherd started out slow in the Mountain East. After their first eight games, the Rams were 2-5 in the MEC. Then, after a five-game winning streak, and winning six of their last seven games, the team played its way into a tie for fifth place in the conference standings. The Rams are currently tied with Notre Dame at 8-6.
 
Noting the Fighting Falcons: Fairmont State ranks near the middle of the MEC pack on almost all offensive statistics, but the Fighting Falcons come up short on the defensive end compared to the rest of the league. FSU ranks last in steals, and ninth in blocks. But just because Fairmont State isn't stuffing the stat sheet with defensive numbers, they have been able to hold teams to low shooting percentages. The team ranks fourth in field goal percentage defense. But once again, these marks can be deceiving. While FSU forces missed shots, they struggle to come down with the ball after those misses. The Fighting Falcons rank last in rebounding margin at -10.0 per game. No other team is below -8.0.