SOUTH EUCLID, OH – The Notre Dame College women's basketball team (3-2, 2-0 MEC) hosted West Liberty University (3-2, 1-1 MEC) on Tuesday evening in an effort to extend their win streak to three games. NDC did just that by narrowly beating WLU 74-70, on the back of Alana Ellis' game-high and career-high 28 points.
 
In the first quarter, both teams exchanged baskets until Jada Marone netted back-to-back baskets during her first game of the season after recovering from injury. The All-American's two buckets put NDC up 15-11 at the 2:16 mark, their largest lead of the quarter. The Falcons would win the quarter 17-14.
 
In the second quarter, West Liberty opened on an 11-4 run and reversed the score, 25-21 Hilltoppers at the 6:10 mark. Notre Dame would answer with a 9-0 run over the next four minutes to post a 30-25 Falcon lead with two minutes to play in the half. Emma Martcheva rounded out the first half with a layup at the buzzer after the dazzling playmaking of Lilee Carlson. Notre Dame led 32-29 at the break.
 
The Falcons would then begin the second half with a 12-4 run and swell their lead to 43-33 with six minutes left in the third. NDC's run would open up the Falcons largest lead of the game, but the Hilltoppers would immediately respond with an 11-0 run and a one-point lead of their own (43-42) with 3:39 remaining.  Carlson would conclude the quarter strong by scoring the final six Falcon points and putting Notre Dame back on top 50-49.
 
The Falcons would again begin the fourth quarter with a 12-4 run and open up a 62-53 lead with four minutes remaining. The two sides would continue to exchange baskets, but WLU would shave the NDC lead all the way down to two points (70-68) with 23 ticks remaining. Marone and Carlson would put the game on ice after they each made a pair of clutch free throws with less than 20 seconds left. Notre Dame walks away narrowly 74-70, during a gritty game inside Murphy Gymnasium. 
 
Throughout the 40-minute contest, spectators were treated to 11 lead changes and nine different times when the score was tied. Another impressive win for Imani Gordon and Notre Dame who again overcame adversity in order to get the job done. This past Saturday, NDC erased a double-digit deficit to get the job done on the road in Wheeling.
 
As aforementioned, Ellis generated a game-high and career-high 28 points on 10-16 (62.5%) from the field. Marone added 15 points and Tamia Ridley totaled ten, as the other two Falcons in double-figures.
 
Ridley also dominated the glass with a game-high 11 rebounds to grab her first double-double of the season. Amil Ali-Shakir, Jen Oduho and Carlson all tallied five rebounds apiece as NDC outrebounded WLU 44-41.
 
Notre Dame will be back in action on Saturday Nov. 27 at 1 p.m. for a non-conference road contest at Slippery Rock University. NDC will be seeking revenge for their season opening loss to SRU on Nov. 13, 84-66.