FAIRMONT, W.Va. – On Wednesday night, Notre Dame College had five players score in double-digits and the team shot 46-percent from behind the three-point line, but Fairmont State University's strong first half led them to a 94-84 victory.
The Fairmont State Falcons missed their first shot, but then made their next five field goals and two free throws. FSU led 15-4 with 16:22 on the clock in the first half.
Notre Dame closed within single-digits, when they went on a 9-1 run. Trailing 33-17 with just under nine minutes remaining in the half, junior
Jordan Roland scored on a layup and was fouled. He finished the three-point play off with a successful free throw. Junior
Marquise Johnson did the same on the next possession. And then after junior
Elijah Barnett split a pair of free throws, Barnett stole the ball and dished it to freshman Javontae Jones for a layup. With 6:15 on the clock, NDC trailed by eight, 34-26.
At halftime, FSU led by a score of 56-42. NDC shot 46-percent from the field in the first half with sophomore
Jordan Burton leading the NDC Falcons with 11 points.
Throughout the second half, Notre Dame continued to work their way back into the game, after FSU expanded the lead. With under four minutes to go in the game, NDC started a run and eventually closed within seven points.
Notre Dame's 13-3 run started when junior
Michael Sampson scored on back-to-back possessions. NDC took advantage of a tough shooting stretch by Fairmont and Jones hit a three pointer and then a layup. Johnson then connected on a layup and Fairmont State's lead was cut to seven, 88-81, with 27-seconds to go in the game. But that would be as close as the NDC Falcons would get.
Johnson led NDC with a season-high 18 points on 6-of-10 shooting, off the bench. Burton added 16 points, with four made three pointers. Notre Dame had 38 points in the paint and 38 bench points. They also pulled down a season-high 15 offensive rebounds.
Notre Dame stays on the road when they take on Wheeling University on Feb. 20. The game is scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m.
