This week: The Notre Dame College women's basketball team will play host to Mercyhurst University for the Falcon's 2021-22 home opener on Wednesday Nov. 17 at 6 p.m. NDC will then travel to Wheeling University to begin conference play, as they face the Cardinals on Saturday Nov. 20 at 2 p.m.
 
Records: Notre Dame, Mercyhurst and Wheeling all begin this week with an 0-2 record after losing both of their games last week.
 
Coaches Corner: Imani Gordon has been promoted and is entering her first season as the Head Coach of the NDC women's basketball program after joining the Falcons coaching staff as an assistant prior to the 2017-18 season. Gordon was named Head Coach on April 28, 2021. Brooklyn Kohlheim is beginning her third season as the Mercyhurst Head Coach and has a career record of 19-28. Matt Schmidt is at the helm of the Wheeling women's basketball team in his first season after being named head coach at the beginning of July.
 
Rankings: None of these teams are ranked in the WBCA Preseason Poll.
 
Series History: Notre Dame is 4-1 all-time against Mercyhurst dating back to the 2014-15 season. NDC is 13-5 all-time when facing Wheeling since 2013-14.
 
Noting the Falcons: Notre Dame is coming off an 0-2 start to their season after playing at the Conference Challenge. On Saturday evening, NDC lost to Slippery Rock 84-66 with Jen Oduho and Alana Ellis each posting career-highs. Oduho led all scorers with 32 points, as Ellis added 23 for the Falcons. On Sunday afternoon, Fayetteville State got the best of Notre Dame 88-54. Ellis again led NDC with 17 points as Abby Hatter added a career-high 14 points off the bench.
 
Thus far it has been a tough start for NDC, as they have been without both of their key contributors from last season in Jada Marone and Marina Adachi. Notre Dame is fresh off an impressive 14-4 record after their shortened season in which Marone was named Honorable Mention All-American by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association. Marone also earned First Team All-MEC and was joined by Adachi who made Second Team.
 
As aforementioned, Ellis and Oduho provided the scoring for Notre Dame as the two players average 20.0 points per game (ppg) and 16.5 ppg respectively. Hatter (9.0 ppg) and Tamia Ridley (5.5 ppg) will also need to step up in a big way for NDC until the likes of Marone and Adachi return. Ridley has been the dominating force in the post as she has generated 10.5 rebounds per game (21 total rebounds), including nine offensive rebounds. In addition, Lilee Carlson plays an important role as a freshman, as she currently leads NDC in assists and is second on the team in steals.
 
NDC will seek to return to the NCAA Tournament since COVID-19 canceled the 2019-20 season for the Falcons and the rest of the NCAA in March of 2020. Notre Dame was the MEC runner-up with an impressive 26-5 during that 2019-20 season.
 
Noting the Lakers: Mercyhurst is coming off an 0-2 weekend as they played in the PSAC vs. MEC Challenge. On Saturday evening, MU lost to Charleston 49-41 as the Lakers were led by Julia Buchman who had 14 points. On Sunday evening, Mercyhurst lost to another MEC school in West Liberty, 84-75. Grace Centrulla tallied 25 points for the Lakers in the loss.
 
Last season, Mercyhurst went 11-6 and did not play any conferences matches due to COVID-19 regulations. Back in 2019-20, the Lakers went 8-20.
 
Jade Boyd (12.3 ppg) and Meghan Komendarek (10.5 ppg) are Mercyhurst's leading scorers from a year ago and were the only two Lakers from the 2021 season to average double figures. Thus far, Boyd has averaged 6.5 ppg and Komendarek has tallied 3.0 ppg, as Centrulla (17.5 ppg) and Buchman (12.0 ppg) have paced the Mercyhurst offense early in 2021-22.
 
Noting the Cardinals: Wheeling participated in the West Chester Tournament this past weekend where they came away 0-2. On Saturday, Wheeling was led by Shanley Woods with 18 points but lost to West Chester University of Pennsylvania, 73-61. On Sunday, WU fell to Bloomsburg University 74-60, as Shamia Strayhorn generated a team-high 16 points.
 
Last season, Wheeling went 9-9 and fell in the MEC Semifinals to Charleston 71-55. During the Cardinals last full season, WU finished 11-19 with a loss in the MEC Quarterfinals to Notre Dame, 75-61.
 
Woods is the top scorer returning for Wheeling this season as she averaged 8.4 ppg during the Spring of 2021. The Cardinals are without their top three scorers from last season, which included Lilly Ritz's team-leading 23.6 ppg. Thus far, Woods has averaged 12.0 ppg, which is currently third on the team behind Lauren Calhoun (15.5 ppg) and Strayhorn (13.0 ppg).