This week: The Notre Dame College women's basketball team will host West Liberty University on Tuesday Nov. 23 at 5:30 p.m., before traveling to Slippery Rock University on Saturday Nov. 27 at 1 p.m.
 
Records: NDC enters this week at 2-2 (1-0 MEC), as WLU begins the week at 3-1 (1-0 MEC). SRU is currently 3-1 with a contest against East Stroudsburg University on Wednesday before their showdown with the NDC Falcons.
 
Coaches Corner: Imani Gordon is in 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. Kyle Cooper is the head coach of West Liberty in his fifth season with the team. Bobby McGraw is at the helm of Slippery Rock University and is 68-103 in his eight seasons as head coach.
 
Rankings: None of these team's are ranked in the WBCA Preseason Poll.
 
Series History: Notre Dame is 10-8 all-time when facing West Liberty, dating back to 2013-14. NDC is 1-1 when playing Slippery Rock, with NDC beating SRU 82-58 in 2019 and SRU besting NDC in this year's season opener on Nov. 13, 84-66.
 
Noting the Falcons: After starting the season 0-2, Notre Dame has rebounded to win their last two games this past week. On Wednesday, NDC beat Mercyhurst 75-68 in the Falcons 2021-22 home opener. Jen Oduho led the Notre Dame on offense with a game-high 20 points, as Lilee Carlson (17) and Alana Ellis (16) also contributing double figures. Tamia Ridley was a menace in the paint as she collected a game-high and career-high 18 rebounds, which is tied for the fourth most rebounds in a game in program history. On Saturday afternoon, NDC tipped-off conference play with a double digit come from behind win over Wheeling on the road, 79-70. Carlson generated a game-high and career-high 29 points, followed by Oduho (16), Amil Ali-Shakir (12) and Ellis (10) who also aided the Falcons on offense. Carlson and Oduho took advantage of their trips to the charity stripe by shooting 15-19 and 11-11 from the line respectively.
 
On the season, Oduho (17.8 points per game), Ellis (16.5 ppg) and Carlson (14 ppg) have been the scoring threats for NDC as no other player averages above 6.0 ppg. It is essential that the likes of Oduho, Ellis and Carlson continue their impressive offensive performances as Notre Dame is still without All-American Jada Marone who led Notre Dame last season with 20.8 ppg.
 
Ridley is a problem for opposing team's in the post, as the senior is the main rebounding force for this NDC Falcons team. Ridley averages 10.8 rebounds per game and Oduho tallies 6.5 rpg as the only two Falcons north of 5.0 rebounds.
 
Notre Dame will seek to improve on their assist to turnover ratio as the team currently generates 0.46 assists per turnover. Carlson is currently the team's leader in assists with nine total, as Ellis is the team's leader in steals with eight.
 
For the season, NDC is averaging 68.5 points scored per game on 36% shooting, while surrendering an average of 77.5 points per game on 46.1% shooting. Notre Dame has been outrebounded thus far, 34.3 to 44.8 rebounds per game.
 
Noting the Hilltoppers: West Liberty is currently riding a three-game win streak after their season opening defeat to California (Pa.). On Wednesday, WLU beat Clarion 78-68 on the backs of Bailee Smith's game-high 20 points. On Friday, the Hilltoppers opened conference play and bested Alderson Broaddus 105-86. Smith again led the WLU offense with a game-high 25 points.
 
West Liberty is led by a two-headed scoring monster in Smith and Corinne Thomas who average 17.8 and 17.5 ppg respectively. Karly McCutcheon and Audrey Tingle also post double-digit scoring averages for WLU at 13.3 and 10.5 ppg respectively.
 
For the season, the Hilltoppers average 81.8 points scored per game on 44.9% shooting, while surrendering 76.2 points per game on 41.2% shooting. WLU has been outrebounded thus far at 41.5 to 42.8 rebounds per game.
 
Noting the Rock: Slippery Rock is fresh off an undefeated week when they beat Ursuline College on Wednesday evening at home, 68-64. Jamiyah Johnson dominated the contest for the Rock with a game-high 26 points and 19 rebounds. On Saturday, Johnson performed an encore with another game-high 24 points and 21 rebounds in the 69-59 win over Malone.
 
Johnson is far and wide the main threat for Slippery Rock early on this season, as the graduate student has averaged 20.8 ppg and 17.3 rpg through four games. Daeja Quick is the only other player to average in double figures for the Rock as she checks in at 15.5 ppg.
 
For the season, the Rock averages 73.0 points scored per game on 47.1% shooting, while they surrender an average of 68.3 points per game on 36.9% shooting. SRU outrebounds their opponents 44.8 to 33.3 rebounds per game.