This week: Notre Dame College men's basketball plays one game this week, and it is a matchup in Wheeling, W.Va. on Nov. 20. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m.
Records: Notre Dame has a 2-0 record after getting off to a tremendous start in the Conference Challenge last weekend, defeating Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference members Slippery Rock and Seton Hill. That is the best start for NDC since the 2018-19 season, when they also won two games at the Conference Challenge. Wheeling is 1-3 and is currently riding a three-game losing streak.
Coaches Corner: Mark Richmond is in his third season as the head coach of the Falcons. He has an overall record of 19-29 and has gone 15-23 in conference play. Chris Richardson is in his second season as head coach of Wheeling. He has a record of 7-15 (5-11 MEC).
Rankings: Neither of these teams are ranked in the NABC Coaches Poll.
Series History: Notre Dame enters the weekend with an all-time record of 7-10 against the Cardinals, but the Falcons have won three in a row and five of the last six matchups. The Falcons swept the season series last year.
Noting the Falcons: In an incredible comeback to start the season, NDC fell behind 80-59 against Slippery Rock, with 9:17 on the second half clock. The Falcons clawed back into the contest, outscored the Rock 27-6 and tied the contest at 86 to end the second half. The Falcons won in overtime, 99-95. After allowing 54 first half points, NDC allowed just 41 in the second stanza and overtime.
Jaedon Willis (21 points) and
Tyland Crawford (16 points) each made four 3-pointers.
Michael Sampson was efficient from the field, going 6-for-9 for 17 points and made it a double-double with 10 rebounds (six offensive boards). The next day, Notre Dame scored 52 points in the first half and held off multiple Seton Hill runs for a 93-86 win. The Falcons shot 63-percent from the field and 56-percent from three. In NDC history, that ranks third in field goal percentage and tied for fourth in three-point percentage. Willis knocked down nine shots for NDC in the second game and scored 28 points. He is averaging 24.5 points per game. Four players scored double-digits in the win over Seton Hill.
Noting the Cardinals: Jordan Reid led the Cardinals in scoring with 20 points as WU won their season opener, by a score of 72-70, over East Stroudsburg. The Cardinals shot 45-percent from the field and 21-percent from three, but their defense held ESU to 37-percent shooting and 5-percent from long range. In their second game, Wheeling held the lead throughout much of the first half of the season, but Winston-Salem State went on a 16-0 run. Late in the second half, the Cardinals did have a look at a game winning three, but lost 66-65. Wheeling had four players score in double-digits against Malone on Wednesday, with Jarett Haines leading the way with 22. Despite trailing by just two points at halftime, the Cardinals were outscored 47-31 in the second half and lost to the Pioneers, 90-72. In a quick turnaround, Wheeling was defeated by Akron, 99-38, on Thursday. Jordan Reid is averaging 17 points per contest, while Haines is adding 14.5 points per game.
